


Action

by BorgiaBabe



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hollywood, Drama, Drama & Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, Filming, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Love Triangles, Love at First Sight, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:34:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 81,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29347464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BorgiaBabe/pseuds/BorgiaBabe
Summary: ‘Think: Love Triangle. But behind the scenes.’
Relationships: Bonnie Bennett & Damon Salvatore, Bonnie Bennett/Malachai "Kai" Parker
Comments: 105
Kudos: 61





	1. Scorsese

“Do we have those headshots for the Felix project? The commercial?”

“Shots and reels. They’re set up in the viewing room.”

“Perfect. And did you reach out to everyone on that list I gave you?”

“I contacted all of their agents,” Maria says, placing a mini stack of manila folders on Bonnie’s desk as Bonnie takes off her long, camel colored Fall coat and removes her black scarf. She hangs up both on the intricate, wrought iron coat rack next to her office door and smoothes out the nonexistent wrinkles in her white, satin blouse. “Only three haven’t sent anything over yet,” she continues, “And yes,” Maria says, smiling slightly before Bonnie can ask, “I did follow up with those three. I’m still waiting for correspondence. And these,” her perfectly manicured nails tap the top of a short stack of large manilla envelopes next to the folders, “are for the Carter project, the three episode arc. They basically already know what they want, but I have a couple of guys I wanted to run by you that I think might fit from that open audition blast. I have a few tentative dates for those second auditions, but it has to be within the month.”

“Thank you, Maria,” Bonnie says emphatically, the familiar emotion of short term relief whenever she leaves things in her assistant’s capable hands settling her early morning stress. “You are a life saver. I literally don’t know what I’d do without you.” Pilot season starts in roughly four months so this time of the year is always one of their most hectic. She rounds her desk and settles into her large, comfortable chair, wiggling her mouse to wake her computer up so she can type in the password. 

“No problem,” Maria quips, flipping her dyed, rose gold hair over her shoulder. “Did you want Kwame and I to start sorting through Felix ourselves?“

“If you could? I’ll be in there eventually. I just need to check my email and-“ Bonnie’s words are cut off by her desk phone ringing. Looking at the caller ID she rolls her eyes at the number automatically, instantly recognizing it and says, “And grab this call, apparently.” 

Maria nods and turns to leave her boss’ office. “Oh and there’s coffee and donuts in the break room,” Bonnie calls out.

“Got it!” Maria calls back. 

Looking back at the trilling phone for a second longer, and clearing her throat, she picks up the receiver. “Bennett Talent and Casting,” she answerspleasantly. “Bonnie Bennett speaking.”

“Answering your own phone calls now?” a sly, all too familiar voice says in her ear and she smiles a little, despite herself.

“That’s what happens when you call someone’s direct line,” Bonnie replies breezily and hears a soft chuckle.

“You got me there.”

“Good morning, Damon.”

“Good morning. Or should I say, good afternoon?”

“You’re still in Amsterdam?” she guesses. 

“For a little while longer - we had some more reshoots to do, but I’m on a break. I’m sitting in that little cafe you love. The one with the green umbrellas out front.”

“I’m jealous. All I have is a nice view of my desk. How’s the weather?” Her cell phone goes off with a notification and she automatically reaches for it. _Damon._ It’s a picture of his view from the window he’s currently sat next to - the warm, cozy lighting she remembers from the inside of the cafe is visible on the edges of the frame, but most of the picture is taken up by an image of the street. Three or four people are walking by and a man on a bike rides the opposite way. In the background she can see the bookstore she’d spent hours in one day, years ago, across the road behind the couple of cars that kick up water from puddles as they pass. It’s dark green door calls to her as she remembers how peaceful the inside of the shop was. The image stirs the faint ghost of a memory; a solid warmth at her back, her hair being swept to the side gently right before soft lips would come to rest on her pulse, waiting patiently as she would read the summaries on book jackets silently to herself. 

“It’s cold, damp, and a tad miserable,” his voice says in her ear warmly as she stares at the photo. “You’d love it.”

Bonnie’s mouth twitches into a smile. “How can I help you, Damon?” she asks, setting her cell phone face down.

“I thought you’d never ask,” he murmurs and she huffs a little laugh as she pulls up her email. “I need your expertise.”

“Oh. You mean the expertise you never take heed of?”

“That’s not fair - I listen. I just don’t always agree. Besides, you know it isn’t up to me.” Bonnie harrumphs and clicks her first unopened email, scanning it: it’s from Sophia Felix, changing the specs of exactly what she is looking for.  _Athletic, blonde ONLY, female, 5’8-5’10, confident yet relatable, volleyball background a plus..._

“It’s funny,” Bonnie says, after absorbing the information in the email and forwarding it to both Kwame and Maria, “but when _you_ don’t agree neither do the Producers or the Creators. Funny how that works out.”

“I’m fortunate to always work with a cohesive team,” he counters smoothly and Bonnie snorts inelegantly.

“You should have been an actor instead,” she says.

“I’m not pretty enough.”  _This man_ , she thinks, shaking her head a little even though he can’t see her. Even if he wasn’t a multimillionaire twenty times over _and_ one of the most influential names in the entertainment business today he would still have a flock of women going crazy over those ocean eyes and jet black hair. Which Bonnie knows he is very well aware of.

“What are you about to start working on now?” she asks, instead of stroking his ego.

“Nothing major. Just a little thing,” he replies vaguely.

“I love how time has humbled you,” Bonnie says and he laughs.

“It’s not time, believe me, Bon. It’s you,” and this time Bonnie laughs.

“What are friends for?” Looking away from her computer screen, she spins her chair to face the large window that shows the cloudy, grey New York City sky that matches his own view across the world. “Okay, what are we looking for?”

—

“How are we doing?” Bonnie asks when she finally makes her way into the viewing room.

“Good,” Kwame says from where he sits. The first thing she notices is his pristine white sweater and how it makes his smooth, deep chocolate hued skin stand out. Their uncanny ability to accidentally mirror each other’s color choices never ceases to surprise her, even after all these years. “I think we narrowed it down already - we got the email.”

“Gotta love commercials,” Bonnie says dropping down into the seat across from him and Maria. “Why can’t they all be easy like commercials...” she muses.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Kwame asks, rumbling deep voice mildly sarcastic, his light brown eyes dancing.

“Very true,” Bonnie agrees. “Speaking of fun, guess who I just got off of the phone with?”

“Scorsese,” Bill mutters distractedly, now scribbling something on a sticky note and putting it on a headshot of a pretty, smiling blonde.

“Hilarious,” Bonnie says dryly. “Like he works with anyone else at this point, agencies included. No, but you’re surprisingly close; Damon Salvatore.” She ignores how Kwame rolls his eyes at the news while Maria’s slanted, dark eyes widen and Bonnie is reminded that, despite her proficiency, the other woman has only been with them for a little over two years. This is her first extremely high profile client.

“Damon Salvatore?” she asks, sounding stunned.

“Yup,” Bonnie says, reaching out to grab the plain donut on the napkin in front of her.

“Let me guess; a star studded affair?” Kwame asks, tone bored.

“Actually, no,” Bonnie takes a bite. “He wants us to help cast principal, supporting, and lead.” He stares at her. “What? He’s serious.”

“Of course he is,” Kwame says skeptically.

“I’m serious, he’s serious.”

“Wait,” Maria says. “I’m sorry, did you say we’re casting for Damon Salvatore?  _Thee_ Damon Salvatore? That’s... I... that’s so... amazing.”

Kwame makes a sound in the back of his throat and Bonnie swallows the piece of confection in her mouth. “It is,” she agrees carefully,“but-“

“But don’t get too excited. It’s a waste of time,” Kwame says bluntly, swiveling his chair slightly in Maria’s direction.

“How?” Maria questions.

“He’s done this before - calls us, says he’s looking for X,Y,Z, we set it up and it always ends the same. You’ve seen his last few films - he always decides to stuff ‘offer only’ actors in there, no matter how good the Talent we discover is.” He looks back at Bonnie. “We go through the whole process just to be told ‘thanks, but no thanks. We decided on the same four people we put in everything else.’”

“That’s not exactly how it goes,” Bonnie says, but the defense doesn’t come out very firmly. It’s pretty accurate.

“He loves wasting our time,” he continues on flatly. “Aren’t all his people in a contract with WME?”

“That’s not the case every single time,” Bonnie repeats to Maria, ignoring Bill. “He uses the Talent, just infrequently. Very infrequently.”

“Once,” he clarifies. “And they were a side,  _side_ character. But you can’t say no to someone like Salvatore right?”

“You’re right,” Bonnie says, aloofly. “It’s a little like saying no to a young Scorsese.” She turns to Maria. “Would you say no to a young Scorsese?”

“Never,” the younger woman says immediately.

“Exactly,” Bonnie says, turning her gaze to pin her Assistant Casting Director with a look.

Kwame sighs, a little of the frustration gone from his voice when he next speaks. “I get it, I do. Business is business - but you have to admit, Bonnie, he’s a window shopper. He just likes to see if there’s any talent, just for fun. It’s always a dead end. It’s like he’s Adam Sandler or something-“

“We’ve found some great actors from those ‘dead ends.’ It’s how we found the Saltzman twins, through his ‘window shopping,’” she reminds him. “And he works with plenty of different people. He’s  _nowhere_ near Adam Sandler in form or quality. You’d be crucified if anyone else heard you say that.”

Bill shrugs. “He’s higher quality but his process is close enough. It’s just the same, small, deck shuffled.”

“Actually, things are a little different this time. He’s informed me that he’s taking a bigger role in this project...”

“How much of a bigger role?” Kwame asks, interests piqued at her tone.

Bonnie smiles slightly. “Massive. He’s Director, Producer, part of Co-Directing and Executive on this thing. He’s going all in - I’m surprised it took him this long, to be honest.” She takes another bite of donut and covers her mouth as she speaks. “And he mentioned different producers... a different team... a whole different vibe...” she swallows and moves her hand, using it to gesture for emphasis instead. “It’s Indie, Kwame; you know what that means. New people. New people means new faces. And new faces means...“

“Fresh Talent he might actually use.”

Bonnie polishes off her donut and nods. Kwame actually begins to look a little less dubious and Maria just seems to be stunned to learn she will be working with her first major Director. And Bonnie can’t help but feel excited herself. This would be a huge accolade for her business, one that would push her name a little (or a lot) closer to the forefront of the very small world of agencies. She rubs her fingers together to get rid of crumbs. “And that’s why you never say no to ‘window shopping’ with young Scorsese,” she says smugly.

—

By the time Bonnie steps off of the elevator to walk the short distance to her penthouse door on the Upper East Side the sun has long since set and she is exhausted. She uses her key-fob to open the door and the minute she steps inside she is accosted by barks of joy, fur, and a tail slapping her legs as it wags without abandon.

“Down, Blueberry,” she says to her mini-giant of a Leonberger puppy who jumps and runs excitedly around her. In response, Blueberry stands on his hind legs to settle his paws on her shoulders and tries to lick at her chin. She pulls her head away, but runs her fingers through his golden fur, smiling. “C’mon, you big baby,” she says, gently pushing him away. “Go get your leash so you can use the bathroom and I can finally relax.”

He bounds off to his side room and in seconds is back with his blue leash in his mouth. She hooks it on his collar, exchanges heels for sneakers, and soon they’re getting out of the elevator and she’s back in the cool Autumn air. As Blueberry sniffs around, she lets her mind wander to her and Damon’s conversation earlier. She understands Kwame’s attitude towards it all - Damon  does waste their time every few years. This is the third time he’s called her in the twelve or so years that she’s established her business to request casting sessions, but this time really does feel different. He’s not working on some blockbuster (well, knowing him it will turn out to be one just because his name is attached to it) but it’s something more personal. He’d explained the plot to her and even the premise sharply contrasted the projects that had boosted his career to the height it was at now; a young man, gone too soon, with so much left unfinished, so sure he’d have time to figure out life eventually. But it’s only after his own death, that he figures out his real purpose as he wanders through his loved ones lives as a ghost, watching the aftermath.

It’s stirring; and the way Damon wants it shot, in his raw, exposed style that she knows he’s capable of will bring its aching melancholy to peak beauty. It’s the perfect medium to introduce lesser known actors who were just as good as, or even better than, some of the A-listers. And since he’s a big part of it’s financing and his budget is relatively very small, there’s no worry about backing if the other Co- Producers doesn’t like who he chooses. He can easily get more funding.

Blueberry pulling on his collar brings her attention back to the present. “Hey, don’t get distracted,” she says softly, tugging him back from trying to cross the street to investigate a couple walking by. “It’s getting even colder.”

-

Two hours later and Bonnie has settled down in her warm spacious bed, finally pressing play on the sixth season of her new favorite show. It was filmed years ago and aimed at teenagers/early twenty-somethings, but the acting is surprisingly decent with a storyline messy enough to be entertaining. Naturally it has become her new guilty pleasure. Lying back she shifts to allow Blueberry to drop his head on to her legs and they both watch the drama unfold on screen. Just as she’s getting into the episode her phone goes off and she picks it up off the dresser. Damon’s name pops up on the screen with a text attached.

_Damon: It was good to hear your voice today._

Warm tingles immediately erupt from her head and trickle down to the soles of her feet as she types back  _Same. We should talk m-_

 _Nope_ ,  she thinks quickly. _Remember what you promised yourself. _

She presses backspace, erasing everything after ‘ _Same_ .’ She stares at the word for far too long before she finally adds a smiley face to the short message and hits send.

Setting her phone back down Bonnie looks at the televison. A new face she doesn’t recognize now fills it; he’s young looking, but not too young. He’s handsome in a way that is obvious, but at the same not intimidating. Blue-grey eyes, brown hair and the hint of dimples. When he smiles they deepen and combined with his remarkably straight teeth and playful smile he comes across as impossibly endearing. Even though she hears her phone go off again she doesn’t reach for it. On screen the new guy is charming even as he goads the protagonist, cruel eyes daring her to do something about it.

-

Two more episodes later Bonnie is well aware that her alarm will be going off in roughly four hours but she can’t stop watching. Because he is  good. _Really_ good - he had a range and a subtly about him that draws her in. Despite this mildly innocent, lively air to him he manages to bring a certain darkness into the character without it feeling forced. Even the way he moves is confident and fluid, obviously at ease in front of the camera.  


The current episode comes to a cliffhanger ending and Bonnie makes herself press pause when the next one starts on its own. She looks at the title screen for a few more moments, thinking deeply, before turning the television off completely. Darkness falls around her and Blueberry, who is already asleep at her feet, snuggles closer. She closes her eyes and tries to drift off but she sees his face behind her eyelids, can still see that spark that he has. Thinking about Damon’s description of his leading man she tries to imagine the man she just watched, who was clean shaven in this role, with sad eyes and some scruff.

Sitting back up she reaches for her phone. She swipes away Damon’s unread message and pulls up her homepage. Typing in the name of the show, going to it’s sixth season, and scanning the cast list she spots him easily. In this photo he actually has a short, thick beard trimmed nice and neatly. She takes a screenshot, sends it to both her own and Maria’s email, and finally lies back down to try and get some sleep.

—

The next morning, as she walks to her office she stops at her mentee’s desk. Today her pink hair is in an elegant bun and she wears a lovely, soft looking silver cashmere sweater Bonnie promises herself she’ll ask for the details on later. “Hey Maria. Can you do me a favor? Before you come in to go over things can you try to contact the represntation for a Malakai Parker? I emailed you whatever info I could dig up really quickly last night.”

“Sure,” Maria says. “For which project?”

“Salvatore.”

“Oh! Okay,” she agrees enthusiastically.

“Thanks. I’ll be in my office making some calls and finally looking at those headshots for the St. John project. I’ll grab you in a little to finalize Carter and Felix and we can find dates to set up those auditions.”

“Gotcha.”

When Bonnie goes into her office she immediately spies the aforementioned stack waiting for her and sighs.  _I need to hire more people,_ she thinks for the dozenth time. Enzo St. John, while sweet, was hard to work with. He could never seem to pin down exactly who or what he wanted for a role, his mind ever changing. This time he was trying to cast for another pilot and if she’s being honest, Bonnie will probably give the pictures a cursory glance before handing them, the script, and the brief to another employee she trusted to get it done.

About two hours later, after returning some calls and answering emails, she’s flipping through the stack of pictures when Maria knocks on the open door and Bonnie waves her inside. “I couldn’t find the contact for him,” she says, sounding mildly annoyed. “Well, I  _did_ but they don’t represent him anymore. And I couldn’t get any information to reach out directly.”

Disappointment begins to churn in Bonnie’s gut when she hears the news. “That’s okay,” she sighs - he really would have been great to see preform in person when the time came. “If you can’t find him, than I’m sure he’s impossible... to...” her words fade as she flips to the next glossy headshot. The disappointment shrinks into a feeling of kismet as she stares at the picture. She looks up at Maria.

“It’s ok,” she says faintly, because apparently the universe truly loves her today. Bonnie holds up a glossy photo of Parker’s face and smiles. “I’ll reach out in a little bit.” 

-

A ‘little bit’ turns into the end of the day. She doesn’t get around to thinking about reaching out until after the agency closes and only her and a few other employees working their approved overtime remain. She pulls the picture with its information out from underneath a stack of papers and inspects it once more before she presses the speaker button on her desk phone, dials the number listed along with his credits, and waits. It rings four or five times before she hears a deep voice answer. “Hello?”

“Good evening,” she greets him, happy that she doesn’t have to leave a voicemail. “This is Bonnie Bennett from Bennett Talent and Casting. I was trying to reach the representation for a Mr. Malachai Parker?”

“Speaking,” and Bonnie smiles a little at the touch of pleasant surprise in his voice. “I mean, I’m Mr. Parker.”

“Hello, Mr. Parker. How are you this evening?”

“I’m pretty great - how are you?”

“I can’t complain,” she replies. “I was calling because your information landed on my desk for the  _Pointless_ pilot.”

“That‘s fortunate. I think,” he chuckles a little nervously.

“I had the same sentiments,” Bonnie says mildly. “I actually have a question for you. Would you be interested in coming in to read for a different project later on, in a month or so?”

“Possibly,” he says, sounding curious. “Depends on the role.”

“Of course. It would actually be for a movie. I could send over the premise and samples to your email and you could get back to me, letting me know what you think? And if you aren’t interested it wouldn’t hinder your auditions for St. John.” 

“A movie?” Mr. Parker says, sounding completely surprised now. “Really?”

“Really,” Bonnie echos.

“And who would be the names involved, when it comes to producing and creating?”

“I only have the one name for certain at the moment until he finalizes a few decisions but it is a Damon Salvatore production.” The line goes quiet for so long that Bonnie says “hello?”

“Yes, I’m here,” Parker rushes to say. “Sorry about that. And, uh, what role did you want me to read for?”

“At this stage, we were looking at you for either supporting or lead. I’ll send you the sides for both if that sounds ok.”

The line goes quiet again, but not for as long. “Yeah,” he clears his throat. “I mean, yes. That sounds good. That sounds amazing. I would love to uh, take a look at it.”

“Great,” Bonnie says relieved. She didn’t expect a ‘no’  but you never truly knew. “Is the best email the one you have listed?” She reads back the email address on his resume and he confirms it’s correct. “Great! So, I’ll have someone send those sides over in the next few days, and if you’re interested send me a reading.” She looks at his photos. “And send over another headshot or two with a beard, trimmed neat and short.”

“I will,” he says quickly. “Thank you for reaching out.”

“No, thank you,” and she means it. If he’s as good as she thinks he is than her job will go that much more smoothly. “I hope to be in touch soon. You have a great rest of your evening, Mr. Parker.”

“You too, Mrs. Bennett.”

“Oh,” she laughs automatically. “Call me Bonnie.”

“Ok, Bonnie. And please, call me Kai. Thank you again.” And he does sound grateful.

“You’re welcome,” she smiles at the phone. “Have a great night.”

“You too.”

They hang up and she breathes out tiredly. She looks at the clock and it reads 7:49 p.m. Signing out of everything, she locks her computer, and gets up from her seat. “C’mon, you guys,” she calls to her three or four stragglers. “It’s time for us to go home.” She hears them reply in agreement as she throws her coat on and grabs her purse.

—

It turns out to be another month and a half before they start the in person auditions for  _Rinascita_ . The dark, dreary,  cold morning doesn’t help with the fact that she barely got any sleep last night. She’d tossed and turned for hours until finally giving up, choosing instead to get ready for work earlier than usual. The office is empty when she arrives,but it’s expected. No one was scheduled to be in for at least another hour or so. Bonnie yawns widely as she hangs up her heavy black coat.

“Knock knock,” a low, amused voice says from behind her and she yelps in fright in the middle of another yawn. “Looks like someone needs a little more rest.”

“Damon!” she exclaims in a scolding tone, willing her heart to stop beating so wildly. She quickly unwinds her scarf and begins taking off her red leather glove, finger by finger. “Don’t  _do_ that.” She shoves at his chest half-heartedly before removing her second glove. “Oh my God,  _what_ are you even doing here? You almost gave me a damn heart attack.”

“Sorry,” he says grinning, not looking the least bit apologetic and holds out a Starbucks cup she’d barely noticed. “Hot chocolate with hazelnut and vanilla?” he bargains for her forgiveness, holding out her favorite cold weather treat.

She squints at him suspiciously. “Two pumps of vanilla?”

“What do you take me for, an amateur? Of course,” he smirks.

She’s still a little miffed that he scared her half to death but Bonnie accepts his peace offering before she leans in and up to give him a quick kiss of greeting on his cheek. “Thank you,” she says a little grumpily. “But seriously - why are you here? And how did you know I was going to be here so early? When we spoke two weeks ago you said you’d be out of town for the first auditions. I have digital set up and all ready to send you video.”

“I know, I know, calm down,” he says,shrugging off his black leather jacket and throwing it over her wool. “You Tweeted that you were ‘starting the day early’ so I took a gamble. I got in a few hours ago.” He sits on the white couch that is across from her sleek, matching white desk. “And I felt like I needed to make an appearance - it was like I was missing the birth of my baby.”

Bonnie hums in understanding. “I get it, but you’re going to scare the Talent.”

“If they get scared that quickly they’ll be easier to weed out.” he replies as she closes her office door and sits next to him. “You look good.”

“Thank you,” she sighs, “but it’s six-fifteen in the morning. I won’t look good until about eight.”

He smiles at that and puts an arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to his side. “I missed you,” he says simply.

“I missed you, too,” she replies leaning her head on his shoulder, and she means it. Despite random Facetimes, pictures, texts, and ‘using’ her services (but not really), she hasn’t actually seen him in person for about four years. (She doesn’t count the times he’s mentioned on Entertainment Tonight or when his face shows up on a magazine as seeing him.) The long period of time between visits is mainly due to the fact that he resides for the most part in L.A. and they both have been steadily working. The distance and time never seems to build up into something insurmountable - somehow it always feels as if she saw him just yesterday, no matter how long it’s been.

“I like the office,” he gestures vaguely. “You’re doing really well out here, huh?”

“We’re no WME, but yeah, we’re doing pretty well.”

“How many employees do you have now?”

“Eight-seven on the two floors,” she says sleepily, closing her eyes and sipping on her warm drink. “I need more,” she admits. “After the Saltzmans we got a few more high profile clients. And more contracts in general.”

“Oh, so you’ve been  _busy,_ busy.”

“You have no idea.”

“I do actually. I really can’t stay for auditions - I have to fly out in a couple of hours.”

“Mmm,” she hums, not surprised, and sips her drink again. “So you’re admitting you  just wanted to see me.”

“Like I said, I was in town.”

Bonnie can hear the smile in his voice. It makes her smile a little to herself in turn as she appreciates more of his warmth along with the familiar scent of his expensive cologne before she yawns, straightens up, and rises from the couch. “I need to answer these emails,” she says. “Get dozens of sides assigned to my crew, and I have to call Enzo back about this damn pilot.” She leans back against her desk, arms crossed loosely. “You’re welcome to relax in here until you have to go. Actually, I’d prefer it - I don’t need you wandering around and causing my staff to be starstruck for the rest of the day.”

“I’ll be good,” Damon promises and holds his hand out. “But come back here. Those things can wait.”

“They really can’t.”

“I  know they can,” he counters. “Seriously, you’re going to blow me of me off for emails and St. John? We both know that pilot won’t make it past Sweeps.”

She feels a teeny niggle of guilt when she lets herself reach for his hand and allows him to pull her right back to his side. But she’s tired and he’s right - Enzo’s projects never make it past season one and she hasn’t seen her best friend in so long. “Fine. What do you want to talk about so badly?”

“I just want to catch up, Bon. Talk to me - how’s everything going? Besides work?”

“You know,” she says halfway teasing, “you can pick up the phone and call? Regularly, I mean, to catch up.”

“Ouch. You’re making me feel unwanted,” he scratches his forehead with his thumb. “Highly unfavored.”

“Oh hush; you know I love seeing you. I’m just saying, the phone doesn’t only work every few months. C’mon,” she takes off her new heels, leans back against the arm of the couch, and places her feet in his lap. “Let’s talk.”

The familiar set up makes him smirk somewhat. Ever since they were in high school she knows Damon knew once they were in this position he had her locked in. He doesn’t see her own smirk at the fact that, like always, he thinks that he’s the one who has won when she’s the one getting her feet rubbed. “Oh, I like this color,” he says, tickling her pinky toe. He would - they are a light, icy blue to match the frost in the air and also happen to be very close to the shade of his irises.

She wriggles her toes a little. “Thanks.” When he begins to gently rub the soles of her feet she sinks even further into the decorative pillow at her back.

“So, who’s doing this for you now?” is his very first question and she can barely hold in the laugh.

“Besides Tanya, my massuse?” Bonnie asks, voice steady. “No one. And even she’s not always available.”

“Impossible.”

“Very possible. The only place with a worse,” she inhales sharply when he rubs in just the right spot and she proceeds to melt, “dating scene than New York is probably L.A.”

“Oh, there’s worse. Trust me.”

“Pfft. You’re  _Damon Salvatore_ ,” she says mystically. “You can snap your fingers-”  _his_ fingers dig into another spot that makes her words a little breathy, “and get anyone you want.”

“Not anyone,” he says mildly, switching to the other foot. She sets her cup down on the floor and lets her eyes slip shut.

“Weren’t you dating those twins?” she murmurs. “At the same time? What were their names again? I still can’t believe the blogs never found out about that.”

“Yeah, let’s not talk about that,” Damon says, fingers squeezing reflexively on her heel at the mention of the situation.”I was having an... existential crisis. It was  _bleak_. Gotta love a good NDA. When are you coming back to L.A.?”

“Probably for your premiere.”

“Which is what, a year or two at least?”

“That depends on you, Director. How long do you think it’ll take to film and produce this?”

“Honestly, I have no idea.” He slumps down in his seat, rubbing her foot aimlessly now, fingertips dragging idly on soft skin. “That’s the thing about working with the same people for so long; you know them, their minds. Working with the same actors, I know about how many times it’ll take to get the scene perfect while they know what I expect. We’re used to each other. But this is new. Not totally new, but new enough.”

“How do you feel about that?” 

“Honestly? Pretty great.”

“You’re not nervous at all? This being your first ‘baby?’ And you gaining fifty more titles? This is pretty big for you.”

“There aren’t way more nerves than usual. I’m just ready to try something new. The biggest obstacle was getting the rest of the backing but that’s secure. I’m actually looking forward to a different kind of project.” 

Bonnie hums in reply and they sit in silence for a few moments while he continues to absently caresses her skin, rubbing her ankles and every once in a while skimming his palm up her smooth calf. She feels herself allowing her mind to drift between awake and asleep. For a moment it feels like Before - when they were both just kids in high school dreaming up movie concepts, both still ignorant of what was to come. “Did you ever think we would be here?” she asks him quietly.

“Nope,” he says just as quietly and she suspects his eyes are closed too. “Well, I knew you’d be here; I always knew you’d be good. You were always going to be good. But me? I’ll look around and still can’t believe it’s real at times. Most times, actually.”

Bonnie opens her eyes and studies his handsome profile. She was right - his own eyes are closed, his thick eyelashes sweeping his cheekbones, and she feels affection begin to diffuse in her as she takes in his peaceful expression. Muscles feeling slightly heavier, she pushes the sleepiness aside as much as she can and sits up. She moves foward so that she’s closer to him, feet no longer resting in his lap, but her legs thrown over his knees. He rests his hand on her thigh and she cups his jaw, rubbing gently at his scruff. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming in last night?” she asks softly. “We could have had more time to talk. I would have cooked.”

He opens his eyes and looks at her, head resting back on the plush couch, smiling slightly.His eyelids are still heavy as he contemplates her words. “I do miss your pancakes.”

Bonnie feels faint heat creep into her face. The only times she’s cooked him pancakes were those mornings after she would succumb to his flirting. He’s had a _lot_ of her pancakes. She grips his chin gently between her thumb and forefinger. “You said you’d be good.”

“We both know that I am being  _very_ good right now,” he says, voice pitched low and she shakes her head a little, even though it succeeds in making something stir in her. She feels incredibly mailable at the moment.  _Shocker_. 

“Stop it,” she says.

“I’m not doing anything,” he says, voice still deep in his throat, his face moving closer to her own.

“And neither am I,” she whispers, leaning back a little. He smirks at that, those bright eyes running all over her face, taking her in. His short black hair is slightly ruffled and up close she can tell that he’s tired -she wonders idly if she wasn’t the only one who couldn’t get a good nights sleep. The longer they look at each other the more affection wells up inside of her. She goes back to cradling his face, thumb rubbing slowly against his cheek, and his eyes slip shut again.

She really, really missed him.

Suddenly he sits up a little and wraps his arms around her waist. She laughs slightly as he hugs her tightly and when he buries his nose right underneath her jaw her heart gives a hard beat against her rib cage. He breathes in the scent of her perfume and moans miserably, dramatic as always. “Just marry me already,” he groans. “Please.”

“No,” she says, still laughing a little. He groans again and the vibration against her skin tickles. She pulls back and she takes ahold of his chin once more, her thumb sweeping back and forth idly as he continues with words she’s heard before.

“I won’t make you sign a pre-nup,” he says over her giggles and  _God,_ he has her  _giggling._ “Ok, a domestic partnership.” Bonnie looks at him warmly and shakes her head. “A date?” Another head shake. “Fine. At least a kiss.”

She studies him - despite the playful tone to his voice there’s a real strain hidden underneath. Her green eyes stare into his blue for a long moment before her restraintbends. _Like always_. She leans in and nuzzles her nose against his own. Her heart flutters when she kisses his top lip gently, a small chaste thing that has him leaning in for more immediately. She pulls back a little, can’t help herself, and then leans in to kisses it again. “There,” she whispers a little shakily against his lips before untangling herself from his hold and getting back up. She walks barefoot back to her desk and sits down to start work. “Now. I have to start assigning these.”

She can feel Damon staring at her still but she doesn’t look back. When she taps her mouse to wake her computer up she hears him sigh. “I have to go.” It comes out quietly and sounds regretful, but she doesn’t hold the short visit against him. She tries really hard not to. Over the years, it’s gotten easier and easier to say goodbye. Damon jetting off barely registers on her emotional radar anymore. Not for long, anyway.

“I know,” she says lightly.

“Bon-“ he begins.

“Damon,” she looks away from her screen to look him straight in the eye. “I know. It’s fine.”

He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. “I’ll come back soon, when this shoot is done and before final auditions.”

_ Which could take months, _ goes unsaid. “Ok,” she says softly and she looks away again. She hears him get up. Out of the corner of her eye she watches him bend to pick up her red heels. He sets them on the floor at the side of her desk and then he places his palms flat on the sleek white marble, directly in front of her, leaning forward. She looks up at him and tries to ignore the slightly torn expression on his face. “It’s ok,” she says again. “Text me when you land and we’ll be in touch. Every one who’s worth it, you’ll get straight to your work email to review.”

He nods reluctantly and clears his throat as if he has more to say. She gazes up at him patiently. “Ok,” he finally says. “Ok... Bonnie, baby, I’m sor-“

Her heart squeezes painfully at the way the old endearment slips out so easily but somehow she ignores it, choosing instead to fix him with a stern look. “If you say sorry for going to work I’ll block you on Instagram. And Twitter. And my personal cell.”

He stops talking and she smiles closed lipped at him, satisfied. “Fine,” he agrees, half-heartedly. “One for the road?” Still smiling, she nods and he leans down to kiss her again. It’s soft and sweet, lush in a way that has her wanting to pull him in closer. He sucks gently at her bottom lip before pulling on it with his teeth slightly, just the way he knows drives her a little mad. The sensation leaves her gasping, lips parting, and it’s all she can do to not climb over the desk to press her body closer to his own as the heat she’s tried to repress the moment she saw him comes flaring up inside of her. Their tongues tangle, slick and smooth, happy to be tasting the other again. She feels his hand come rest at the base of her throat, and those long fingers tighten slightly as he deepens the kiss, pulling a whimper out of her at exactly the same moment she hears the distinct sound of his phone vibrating in his jeans pocket. “Damnit,” he breathes and presses his forehead to hers briefly. He closes his eyes as his phone stops, then immediately begins to buzz again. “Fuck,” he breathes and then kisses her forehead quickly. “I have to get back to the jet.But I’ll text, I promise,” he says and she ‘mhm’s’ him as she tries to catch her breath.

Just then a knock sounds on her door. “Come in,” Bonnie calls automatically as Damon straightens back up to full height.

“You’re here early! Good morning. I set everything up for-“ Maria freezes in the doorway at the sight of Damon standing at Bonnie’s desk. She stares at him, mouth open a little.

“Maria!” Bonnie greets her sunnily, welcoming the distraction from the rushing sound in her ears. “Good morning. How are you?

Maria blinks and nods. “Fine.”

”Good! This is Mr. Salvatore. Mr. Salvatore this is my assistant and mentee, Maria Jarosch-Cho.”

“Oh, so  _you’re_ Maria,” he says, turning away slightly to wink at Bonnie. “I’ve heard so much about you.” Bonnie smirks; she’s barely said anything about Maria to Damon, except maybe mention her name in passing. “You’re going to be helping BonBon cast my next project?” Maria nods, and she blushes underneath her smattering of freckles. “Well, I can’t stay for today’s session, but we’ll be working together very soon. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too?” Maria says it like a question, as if she’s not sure about what she’s just heard.

“Great.” He turns back to Bonnie. “We’ll talk?”

“Yup.” She’s already focused on her computer again when he reaches for her hand.  


He kisses the knuckles, murmurs “Ms. Bennett,” and then he’s off. She watches him gather his jacket as she inconspicuously licks at the taste of him still on her lips.

When he’s gone Maria turns to stare at Bonnie.

“Did I really just meet Damon Slavatore?”

“You did.”

“He looks just as handsome in person. More. How is that possible? And he smells really good. Like, really,  _really_ good. Is he always that nice? He’s so...” Maria struggles to find any more words.

“Yeah,” Bonnie says absently to all of it, opening up an email from Enzo. “You’ll get used to it. Anyway, you were saying we’re all set up?”

—

It isn't until day three that Bonnie meets him. “I don’t think that last one was good fit,” she says when the door shuts behind the previous actor. “But I don't want to dismiss him entirely... I may want him to read for Nathaniels.” Kwame and Maria both raise their eyebrows, along with Enrico, who’s working the camera. “What? You don’t see it?”

“Not really,” Kwame says. “But I’ll make note of it and we’ll circle back at the end.”

Bonnie nods. “He was better than the others before him, that’s for sure. I’m keeping blondie in my folder. Ok, who’s next?” She moves ‘maybe Nathaniels’ to the back of the pile after finishing her notes on him. “Call in who’s next, please,” she asks of Enrico. She checks her phone to see no missed calls or messages. To her credit, there’s not that much disappointment to tamp back down. Perks of being a realist.

“Malachai ‘Kai’ Parker,” she hears a familiar, deep voice say from in front of her and she looks up. Her brain short circuits.  _He’s bigger_ , is her first inane thought. He’s bigger as in taller than she expected and more muscular than he was a few years ago when he appeared on The Journals. Even in his pictures he appears slimmer. He’s still on the lean side but there’s definitely  _more_ to him. Under thick brows aredark blue eyes that meet her green and  _wow, those are intense_ , is her next immediate thought. His gaze seems to go right into her and she feels something akin to a shiver run over her skin. Goosebumps rise on her arms as they stare at each other.

There’s an air about him that she likes, friendly yet intense. And he came in with a little scruff, which she appreciates. He clears his throat, looks away from her, and smiles at everyone else while giving them an updated headshot. He shakes hands with Kwame and Maria gives him script with Nathaniels’ lines highlighted. He goes to stand in place.

“How are you today, Kai?” Bonnie asks, and it comes out warmer than she intended. Something about him tugs at that place inside of her reserved for, well, not for those coming in to audition, including those she’s seen on screen before. It feels as if she’s known him for a long time - that’s the kind of aura he projects. 

“Great!” he says, still smiling. “How about you guys?”

They all respond in kind.

“I’m Bonnie, Casting Director. This is Kwame, Assistant C.D., Enrico, on camera, and Maria. I can’t live without Maria, and down at the end is Nicki, our reader.” The blonde girl waves.

“Nice to meet you all,” Kai says easily.

“Same,” and “you too,” they all return before settling back.

“Okay, whenever you’re ready,” Kwame says to him and Kai nods.

As he reads with Nicki, Bonnie dismisses whatever oddness she thinks she feels, and soon it’s replaced with a little swell of triumph. He is  _good_ , better than she even expected. His voice, the way he moves, the way he seems to know his angles without the camera even being on. He makes Nathaniels come to life, getting the chuckles from everyone just when intended, his timing just right, and the vaguely distant replies are pitch perfect. But, as he goes on something isn’t quite right. It works but it doesn’t... fit. Before he’s finished Bonnie already knows what she’s going to do next. She writes down her notes on his performance as he finishes up.

“That was great,” Kwame says from beside her when Kai is done reading.

“It really was,” Bonnie agrees as she finishes writing. She turns his photo over and takes a look at his credits on the page behind it. “How long have you been acting?” she questions. His appearances get lower as the years go on, too low to be this good.  Where has he been hiding?

“Feels like my whole life,” he chuckles, “but professionally twenty years.”

“Interesting.” And it is; he’s been around for a while, since he was a kid. “Do you go out to castings regularly?”

“Semi.”

_How has no one featured him yet?_ she wonders idly, studying the series he has been on, shortlived things, some she’s familiar with but never watched, the others she’d never heard of. There’s the one she first sighted him on - it ran for eight years but he was only in the one season - she remembers being mildly annoyed when they killed him off.

 _He needs a better manager_ , she thinks, and looks to see who is representing him. It reads Self-Represented.  _Interesting_.

She looks up to see him staring. Another fresh round of goosebumps washes over her and she adjusts in her seat. “Can you do me favor?” she asks him a little suddenly.

He nods. “Sure.”

“Can you go to page twenty-four and start reading for Adrian?”

“Yeah,” he sounds mildly surprised even though she’d told him that he was going to be considered for lead too. Maybe he didn’t truly believe her. He flips to the page and instinct tells her to gesture to Enrico to get ready to start recording, something she rarely does this early on. Kwame looks at her askance and she smiles back blissfully. He wasn’t aware that she was going to have him read for lead too. She knows what he’s thinking - Kai goes against all the specs that Damon wanted for the character of Adrian, but she can talk to him. He’ll probably end up thanking her. “Whenever you’re ready,” she says.

Although he seemed surprised, Kaiis prepared. The way he speaks brings the words to life. The more he reads the more of those subtleties that she’d spotted in his previous work stands out. That heavy, hopeless, sad feeling the words are meant to provoke seeps into the room and she can feel Kwame shift in interest beside her as Kai and Nicki go back and forth. A glance to Maria shows her rapt with attention as well. Bonnie gets up from her seat as he continues to read to look at the camera screen, wanting to see how he looks on film. She inhales deeply and thinks,  _nearly_ _perfect_. He’ll need to drop maybe seven or so pounds of muscle to fit the role in her opinion but besides that he’s perfect.

He finishes reading and the room is quiet for a moment. “That was great,” she finally says, trying to keep her voice neutral even as excitement bubbles up in her - the same feeling that came with Jo and Lizzie is creeping in. She’s found a star. Once he gets this role he will be A-list in no time. “Any notes, Kwame?” she asks lightly.

“No,” and he sounds surprised at himself. He always wants it at least twice, but not this time. “Like she said, that was great.”

“Thank you,” Kai says, smiling again reverting from depressing to relaxed and joyful in less than thirty seconds. “Are you sure you didn’t want it another way? A little more frustrated?”

Tempted as Bonnie is to have him go again on the grounds of purely being so compelling, she shakes her head. “No need. Listen, we’re going to keep in touch okay?” Her tone is imploring.“You represent yourself at the moment, correct?”

“Yeah,” he rubs the back of his neck. “Is that going to be an issue?”

“Only if you change your number,” Bonnie replies resting a hand on her hip. She looks him directly in the eyes. “Do not change your number. Got it?”

“Got it,” he grins and this time she lets herself smile back. It really was infectious, his smile, especially with those dimples that she can see underneath his stubble. She runs her eyes down his body slowly and she tells herself that it’s strictly because she’s assessing him for the role. When her eyes make their way back to his face she catches him looking her up and down too. They both seem to feel when the mutual appraisal goes on a beat too long because at the exact same second they both look away from each other, Kai clearing his throat again. He walks forward and hands Maria back the script. “Thanks for your time, everyone.”

Everyone in the room thanks him too, including Bonnie, and with one last quick glance in her direction he’s walking away. She does not allow her own gaze to watch him retreat,instead turning away to go sit back in her chair.

“He was really good! That’s the one you asked me to call wasn’t it? Do you know him?” Maria asks curiously when the door closes behind him.

“You know, I don’t,” Bonnie muses. “But!” she swivels her chair towards Kwame, grinning widely. “What I  _do_ know is that we’ve just found our lead. We found Adrian on the third day.” She claps her hands together once in relief.

“Good luck convincing Salvatore,” Kwame says. “I liked him too, but he looks nothing like what he asked for.”

“I won’t need luck,” Bonnie says. “I got it on camera. Once he sees it he’ll change his mind. Believe me.”


	2. Just Once

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s smutty smutty.
> 
> *Kai and Bonnie POV*

“What do you mean no?” Bonnie asks incredulously.

“I  mean no. I don’t think he’s good for Adrian,” Damon says from the other end of the phone.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Bonnie says. Were they watching the same person? “He was the best one. The whole room got chills when he read. You could have heard a pin drop, he left us all so fucking depressed. It was-“ she searches for the right words. “Kwame liked him on first read.  _Kwmae._ ”

“I’m not seeing it,” he replies. 

“Well, look harder,” Bonnie grits out frustrated. 

Damon hums into the phone. She hears him playing back Kai’s performance for a minute or two before he pauses it again. “He might be good for Nathaniels,” he murmurs. 

“He’s good as him, too, yeah, but I’m telling you, it’s not the best fit.” She hears Damon sigh. “Is it the his size?” she asks. “Because I thought so too, but - imagine him down about five to seven pounds of muscle. I’ve seen him leaner. Keep the scruff, minus the weight, c’mon, Damon. Tell me you can see it.”

Damon doesn’t answer right away. He starts the footage again and watches for another minute or so. “Maybe,” he says. “How tall is he?”

“Six feet. Maybe six one.” He’s more likely six two, but she doesn’t want to overshoot, just in case. She hears Kai in the background and can almost hear Damon’s mind working.

“Donovan, was that his name?” he pauses, and Bonnie assumes he’s sifting through headshots. “Yeah, Matthew Donovan was good too. Why are you so set on this one?” he asks, curiously.

“Because, I’m the one who, like always, sat through hundreds of auditions this past month. Hundreds Damon. First round is finally over and he’s got what you’re looking for,” she paces her bedroom. “If you’d worked with me before, _for_ _real_ , you’d know I have an eye for this. It’s literally my job.” She sits on her bed and stares out at the city skyline from her view on the thirty-second floor. For a moment she debates saying what’s been on her mind. It’s not unlike her to not advocate for her choices during the process, but ultimately she distances herself even if she doesn’t agree with the choices made. But with Damon it’s different- they both knew each other before success, which means he knows where she started. The bottom, just like him. “I feel like you don’t take me seriously,” she says finally, looking at the twinkling lights of the surrounding high rises that substitute for the stars.

“What?” Damon asks as if he's not sure if she’s kidding or not

“You heard me,” he says, calmly. “When we were in school I casted for you. Those student projects and Summer films where we almost died filming in the heat?”

“You’re the one who kept forgetting to bring enough water,” he gripes. 

“The ones that eventually got you bigger gigs?” she ignores him and continues. “Who casted for you?” She sighs. “I didn’t mind then and I don’t mind now. You know that,” she speaks quietly, making sure that he knows it’s the truth. “But I have to know; are you serious about this or are you going to have my agency put in all this man power, again, only to have you say ‘forget it’ and throw a WME actor in there anyway? Because the Donovan guy? He looks just like who you’ve worked with the past two films.” Damon doesn't say anything. The silence draws out. “I’m _so_ proud of you, I _am_ ,” Bonnie says with sincerity. “But I’m running a race, and yes, I _am_ getting further and further ahead, but you’ve already won. Just...” she sighs and plucks at her pillow, not wanting to sound like their success is a competition. It’s not between them, but she is in a competitive field and very successful in her lane and she wonders if he really realizes this, or if he lets how he used to see her color his perception of her now.

Blueberry trots into the room and plops his head on her knee. She scratches his head. “What I’m _trying_ to say is there’s a reason I started off with two people and one single office space and I am where I am now. There’s a reason why I’m churning out bigger names and some of them are even coming to me. I work hard and I’m great at what I do. Take out the giants and I’m near the top. But the giants are still there and you work with them all the time. So,” she bites her lip and she hears Damon take a breath.

“Bon-“

“Let me finish,” she says. She has to get this out. “If you’re going to go back to them let me know now. For one so I can get this guy, Parker, in something else, because he’s good. And two because I actually am very busy.”

“You talk like youre representing him,” Damon says gruffly.

“I might. I’m hoping on it,” Bonnie says laying on her back to stare at the ceiling. “He has that... special something. He could make me a lot of money and eventually bring the agency more recognition. If you don’t want him I’m not going to waste his time and I’m going to find him something else. He doesn’t have any representation right now. I don't know why yet, but I’m going to find out and offer him a place at ours regardless of what you do with him. But,” she makes sure to throw in “you’re going to be kicking yourself if you don't at least have him come back for second auditions. Which needs to happen soon. Like, yesterday soon. Christmas is in a couple of weeks, and you know pilot season has us running ragged, _and_ you _know_ I still need to hire at least twelve more people which I have no time to do.” She sighs, suddenly tired. “I know you’re super important and worth a bajillion dollars to these machines you report to, but you’re still on a schedule and so are we.”

“You know,” Damon says after soaking in her diatribe, “I’ve never seen this side of you.”

“Which side?”

“The...bossy business side of Bonnie.”

“Maybe because I’ve been entertaining you all of those times you weren’t serious because you’re... you,” Bonnie says truthfully. “But this time you have me and my team invested and we saw a lot of great Talent who deserve a chance like this. I know on your level, everyone is just cattle until a certain pay grade, but that’s not how it is on this end.” 

Damon stays quiet for a long time and Bonnie turns to lay on her side and just waits. Kai’s voice starts playing again in the background. Blueberry jumps up on the bed and lays down so that they’re face to face. His wet nose bops hers and she wrinkles her own in responseto which he huffs happily and flops onto his back, tongue lolling, belly exposed. She rolls her eyes and gives him tummy scratches to which his tail starts wagging in content.

“Ok,” Damon says finally.

“Ok what?”

“Ok, bring him back for second auditions. Tell him to hold back on the lifiting, and if he makes it through to screen shots he should look the way I want on camera. Maybe.”

“Oh, Bubs, really?” she asks, and she bites her lip at the slip. She’s called him the nickname since they were kids. She thought she had rid her vocabulary of it, but apparently not. 

He sighs, but she hears the smile in his voice when he says, “I guess so, babe. I mean, you’re practically twisting my arm here.” She wriggles on the bed and Blueberry mimicks her and then barks excitedly at his owners shift in energy. “Even the dog is celebrating?” Damon laughs.

“Yup!” Bonnie says smiling widely. “So, he’s on callbacks?” she confirms 

“Yes, he’s on the callbacks.” 

“Oh, you won’t regret it, Damon. You won’t,” she promises. “He’s the next big thing, especially if he works with you.” 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he says, obviously still smiling. 

Now that they’ve finished with that subject, she lies back more relaxed. “How much longer are you on location?” she asks him. 

“I’m not sure,” he says in that vague way that means not for a while. “Why? You miss me?”

She remembers their kiss weeks ago. “Maybe,” she says playing with Blueberry’s floppy ear. 

“Well, I miss you too,” he says quietly and she smiles softly.

“I might actually believe you this time; you’ve been suspiciously consistent.” And it’s true. Although she’s told herself not to, she’s getting a little used to him calling every other day since his last visit just to ask her about her day. Its unheard of.

“Ouch,” he says playfully.

“Well,” she thinks. “Actually let me take that back. _Were_ \- you _were_ being consistent.”

She hasn't heard from him in over a week before this phone call.

“I’m sorry - I keep getting caught up.”

“It’s okay,” she says lightly. “If I were in Puerto Rico I’d be distracted too. All those beaches.”

Damon laughs. “And also work. You forget I’m working.”

“Oh yeah, that too,” she grins.

“You’re ridiculous,” he says.

“Wonder who rubbed of on me with that one.” 

—

It was like a gift or a super power to be able to see talent.

Bonnie used to lament the fact that growing up she couldn’t sing, or act, or wasn’t exceptional at any particular sport. When it came to art she was ok. A little better than average when it came to line work, but nothing to write home about and nothing that she was passionate enough about pursuing. She learned in film school that she’s not awful at throwing together a script, but besides being freakishly adept on a pottery wheel (which she attributes to watching Ghost an obscene amount of times), Bonnie thinks she doesn’t have a marketable skill for the longest time.

Damon, on the other hand, always had a camera with him, even in the photos of he and her grinning at four and five years old a camera hung from his neck, the only difference was that it was made by Fisher Price and plastic instead of the Canon that he saved up for two years for and got at thirteen years old. His sharp and unique photography style, which was innate in him, morphed into doing films in their late teens and it wasn't until then that Bonniediscovered that she did indeed have a valuable gift - she could easily spot talent. She could look at a person, listening to how they spoke and studying how they moved and immediately knew who would be good for a role and who wouldn’t be.

“How do you do it?” Damon had asked her one day as they ate lunch together in the shade on the college’s lawn.

She’d shrugged as she chewed. “I don’t know. It’s hard to explain,” she’d answered but tried to anyway. “It’s like they have a swipe of light on their forehead.”

“A light?” he’d repeated smirking, dark hair blowing in the cool Spring air. “Like a sniper’s beam?”

“No,” she said bumping his shoulder with hers. “No, it’s more of like...a flash? Not a blinding one, or an annoying one. But its not always the same kind of light.” Damon had looked confused and she’d tried again. “Ok, so the girls I point out to Caroline are easier to spot, but the actors, their lights are golden and small. Like when they wipe ashes on our foreheads during Ash Wednesday, remember that?” He’d nodded. “It’s like that, but golden. It's smaller than the white halos models have. But it’s still there.” Damon had just stared at her as she took another bite of her black bean burrito. “What?” she’d said, mouth stuffed. “You asked.”

It’s not always apparent; sometimes she sees the light but it’s faint and she has to search for it. She has to direct them in the right way or point them towards the right direction, like the perfect acting or vocal coach to get that light shining bright, but Bonnie can literally see talent.And she lives to see it thrive.

She went to film school because she was in love with the industry but when you put it under a lens what Bonnie really loved were movies, and more specifically, the actors and actresses. She would watch movies for hours as a child and would hyper focus on certain characters, entranced by them. It was a marvel to her how they essentially _became_ real because these people made it so. She knew they were actors and she was enraptured at the fact that they were able to transform so completely. It was like magic to her.

She went into film school thinking she would develop her skills at character building and script writing, which did happen, but she ultimately came out knowing for sure that she wanted to be the perosn to find the next big star. That was her gift. To help other people shine. So she had started her own business to do just that.

—

The callback list drops in her email from Damon’s assistant two days later and as promised Malachai is on it, along with his director requests.

“Maria!” She calls and a few moments later her assistant saunters in. “I got the call list,” she says as Maria sits in one of the chairs in front of her desk. The other women is scrolling intently on her phone. “What’s up?” Bonnie asks her

“Hm?” Maria says still focused on her phone.

“What’s so captivating?”

“Sorry,” Maria sighs a little. “Nothing, I’m just wondering what it’s like to be them.”

“Who?” Bonnie asks, smiling a little as she prints out the call sheet.

“The women he picks.”

“Who picks?”

“Damon Salvatore. I mean, now that I’ve actually met him I really wonder. Look -“

She turns her phone to show Bonnie a popular Instagram gossip blog on the screen. There’s a paparazzi or sneaky fan taken photo of Damon who is laying on a sunny beach, next to him lies a waif thin, pale brunette with beautiful exotic features. Bonnie feels something try to lap at her insides but as she scrolls, Maria’s chattering voice faded in the background, all that settles in her stomach is annoyance. The last two photos are of him grabbing the woman’s butt and kissing her lightly on the lips, the next he smirks as she says something in his ear. Bonnie eyes flick down to the date. The pictures are dated two days ago

_Yeah, work_ _,_ she thinks, feeling stupid. Why did she think anything was different? He was the same fifteen years ago, eight years ago, five years ago, and he’s the same now.

“....you know?” Maria is saying. “Like they must feel so special.”

The annoyance is morphing into something else and Bonnie tries to ignore it, but it continues to change while simultaneously clawing its way up her gut. Hurt. Annoyance turns to a burning sort of hurt and it settles right in the center of her chest, throbbing with every heartbeat.

“If I had to guess, yeah, they probably think they’re special,” she says steadily and clears her throat. “Here,” she hands the call list to Maria who tucks her phone away. “Here’s the callback list with producer requests. Can you find a day that works with my schedule and we can set up second auditions ASAP? Before the week ends.”

“Sure can,” Maria says excitedly. “Oh good, he kept Parker.” She hums as she skims the names. “It would have been crazy if he didn’t. You want to tell Kwame you were right or should I?”

“I’ll give you the honors,” Bonnie smirks knowing full well she’s going to say ‘I told you so’ to him as soon as she can regardless.

—

“Bonnie, I have Mrs. Forbes-Salvatore on line one,” Maria says poking her head in her office a couple of hours later.

“Thank you, Maria. Can you close my door and send her through?”

Bonnie blows out a heavy breath, already knowing what’s coming after her heavy door shuts and she presses line one. “Hey, Caroline,” she says lightly.

“Why is he always such a bastard?”

“Caroline-“

“He comes into your office after nearly _five years-“_

“I knew I shouldn’t have told you-“

“And he _kisses_ you and calls you _baby_ and then he’s all over some...some... _girl_? She looks like she’s barely out of high school-“

“Caroline-“

“You better not be feeling bad about this Bonnie,” Caroline says fiercely. 

“I’m not.” Bonnie insists. She barely feels the ache in her chest anymore. 

“Good! Because I swear, if you feel bad I will kill him. I’ll go to Costa Rica-“

“Puerto Rico-“

“ _Wherever_ he is and strangle him myself.”

“It’s really not a big deal, Caroline.”

“I sincerely hope you’re just saying that,” Caroline says as a baby starts fussing in the background. “Because if you think it’s okay for him to keep playing with your emotions like this-“

“Did you bring Sasha to the office?” Bonnie asks as she hears her goddaughter shrieking in excitement.

“I did. Both nannies needed the day off. Last minute Christmas shopping.”

“Aren’t you afraid the models will get baby fever and decide to ruin their figures?” Bonnie jokes.

“Rebrand, remarket, we’re selling stretch mark creme and have a six figure contract for Pampers, problem solved,” her best friend says dismissively. “Stop trying to change the subject.”

“How’s Stefan?” Bonnie asks, swiveling in her chair to look out the window at the light flurries of snow that are beginning to fall.

“He’s over Damon’s shit too.”

“Not what I was asking. I meant like his well being.”

“He’s great, the firm is doing great, and he’s sick of Damon’s shit too.”

“I doubt Stefan cares that his brother keeps stringing me along. But,” she’s quick to say “I’m not even being strung along. You know how it is with Damon. It’s on and off.”

“No. For it to be _off_ it needed to be _on_. And Damon doesn’t promise anything. He just... _pops up_ and does what he wants. Like always. And of course Stefan cares. You’re family.” Bonnie smiles a little at that last part. “Speaking of which, are you coming with us this Christmas?” Bonnie opens her mouth to say probably not when Caroline continues, “and don’t say no. I already got your ticket.”

“Caroline!”

“What?” Caroline exclaims and Sasha gives a happy squeal in the background. “You’re not spending the holidays alone in this God forsaken city. And it’s first class.”

“Why do we have to go to Aspen though?” Bonnie whines. “Why can’t we go to Belize or the Caymans?”

“The cabin!” Caroline says, sounding excited. “You haven’t even seen the renovations. I redid your room completely over. And the nursery is darling. You’d know that if you’d come, oh I don’t know, the past three years. And we both know why you haven’t. Stop letting him run you away from places.”

“I don’t.”

“Yeah, ok,” Caroline says, and Sasha makes loud, wet bubbles with her mouth. Even her goddaughter knows she’s full of it. 

“It’s just easier to stay away,” she says, resigned.

“It’s easier for him, too. Stop making it convenient for him Bonnie. Ever since we were in school you made it too easy for him. I know we grew up together, but it’s time to outgrow him. Or at least realize you have. Because you did, a _long_ time ago. When’s the last time you even looked at another man.”

Kai Parker flashes into her mind’s eye of all people and she remembers how she may have imagined what he looked like underneath his clothes last audition. “I’ve looked,” she says defensively even though it’s a half truth. Her friend doesn’t have to know it was for a role. Mostly.

“Mhm. And when’s the last time you, you know,” she pauses and Bonnie hears a singing toy go off in the background. “F-u-c-k-e-“

“Care!” she says scandalized at her friends whisper.

“What?” Caroline exclaims again. “I’m serious! I’m not saying get married! But a one night stand at least.” Bonnie feels her face burning.

“I’m not going to talk to you about this,” she flounders. “You’re a married woman.”

“Exactly, as someone with a _very_ healthy sex life this kills me. And yes, you are,” Caroline says matter of factly. “Or at least, I’m going to talk and you can pretend not to listen. I don’t care what Damon said - you see what he does, and for millions of people to see.” Bonnie looks stays quiet. “You deserve better than his games - you’re not one of those groupies. And I know you said he’s been calling more, but honestly who cares? We’re almost in our mid thirties and he’s doing the bare minimum. I would let those go to voicemail after this crap if it doesn’t have to do with work. And go get laid. Seriously. Do whatever to cut soul ties with him by Christmas because you _will_ be at the cabin. And you _will_ have a nice, relaxing time.”

“Ok, ok,” Bonnie says, just to get her pseudo sister in law to stop being so concerned about her sex life.

At Bonnie’s agreeing words, Caroline’s voice changes from aggressive to sweet. “Good. Oh my God,” she exclaims. “I’m going to send you a picture of Sasha’s outfit today. Dior made it just for her. They even sent matching socks! And the teenest little diamond anklet.”

—

Fuck, he’s late. 

Kai jogs across the busy New York street when he sees a break in traffic and cars honk at him. “Sorry,” he shouts, hand going up. He looks at his phone and curses again when he sees the time. He swears that he’s going to go to Apple and ask what the hell he’s doing wrong when it comes to setting this damn alarm. It’s the third time this month it hasn’t gone off.

When he gets to the agency he prays they haven’t called his name yet. “Have they started for Nathaniels or Adrian yet,” he asks one of the assistants, breathing a little heavily. “Or actually, have they called Kai Parker yet?”

The assistant looks down at a clipboard and shakes her head and his own head drops in relief. “Thank God.” He strips off his coat and sits two seats down from another actor with blonde hair. He remembers him vaguely from last time. “What’s up man,” the blonde says. “Traffic?”

“Alarm.” The other guy nods in understanding. 

Kai unfurls the papers in his hands, brushing up on the material. He goes over Nathaniels’ lines briefly, but finds himself going over Adrian’s over and over. It’s last minute when he remembers who he’s going to be reading in front of and he asks for a bottle of water. The secretary is handing him one when the door opens. 

“Malachai Parker.”

As soon as he walks into the space his attention is immediately drawn to Bonnie Bennett who sits right where she was the first time, between the large dark skinned man named Kwame with whom she’s currently laughing and her assistant with the pink hair and prominent Euro-Asian features. Bonnie and the man are matching like they were last time only instead of purple it’s in hues of red. When she turns to meet his eyes Kai’s throat goes dry and he sips his water.

“Hey Kai,” Bonnie smiles warmly at him and he smiles back. Her green eyes glitter and she’s just as pretty as he remembers. He licks his bottom lip as he finishes drinking and he sees her eyes trace the movement, before she blinks, looking away.

“Hey, everyone,” he says forcing himself to look away from her and give equal attention to everyone else. He’s seen beautiful women before, of course he has considering the business he’s in, but she’s appealing in a way that makes his brain stutter and stall. 

“How’s it going,” Kwame asks genially. 

“Great. I’m excited,” Kai says honestly. “I’m happy to be back.”

“We’re glad to have you,” Bonnie says and he takes another drink of water. “When you’re ready can you read like you did before for Adrian? The same pages.” 

He does the same as before, reading with the same blonde girl and the words are more comfortable in his mouth at this point. As he reads they seem pleased, but Bonnie studies him for a minute after he’s done before she leans forward. “Remember last time, when you said you could read his character in a more frustrated tone?” He nods. “Can you do that for me?” He does what she asks and he feels relieved - it feels more natural this way. It only makes sense for the words to be read that way for this character that can talk but can’t be heard.

Bonnie seems satisfied when he’s done the second time. “Did you get the notes about what production is asking from you?”

“To lay off the gym?” He clarifies.

Bonnie laughs a little, “in layman’s terms, yeah.” He nods. “Are you okay with that?” 

“More than okay,” he answers truthfully. “An excuse to get a little lazy doesn’t sound half bad.” They all chuckle.

“Okay, great. Now can we get a few angles of him, Enrico?” The man nods. “Okay Kai, if you can face your left. Now your right. And straight ahead.” She gets up to look at the camera screen like before and then comes around to stand in front of him. “Do you mind if...” she gestures to him and he shakes his head as if to say ‘do what you need to.’ She smiles a little and she tilts his head just a smidge to the side and brushes his hair off of his forehead. He watches her focused expression the whole time, taking advantage of having an excuse to study her up close.

Her features are almost feline, with her bright slanted eyes accentuated by sharp eyeliner and her high cheekbones. There’s a delicacy to her when she stands this close to him, her heels giving her some height but her fitted clothes show how petite and curvy she is. Her scent is fresh and light, and it reminds him of a bright Spring morning. Her cool fingertips are soft on his chin as she positions him and he suppresses a shiver when she says “there” softly. She meets his eyes again. “Perfect.”

He tells himself to stop staring but he can’t help it. “Back at you,” slips out in a murmur and he feels mortified immediately. Luckily for him they all laugh again, taking it as another joke and she ducks her head a little. “And charming,” she says, as she walks back towards the camera. He forces his eyes not to look down at her ass in her tight, dark red pencil skirt. “That’ll take you far,” she says over her shoulder playfully. She looks at the camera screen again. “Yeah, take a still of that,” Bonnie says to Enrico and she looks at him, smirking. “Okay, Mr. Parker.”

“Kai,” he insists.

“Kai,” she corrects. “We will keep in touch. Thank you so much for coming in today.”

“Thanks for having me.” He shakes their hands and when he takes hers he grazes her knuckles with his thumb and he wants to slap himself. He catches a little pink blush on the tips of her ears as she makes brief eye contact with him and slowly pulls her hand away. _How hard is it not to flirt with the casting director?_ he asks himself as he leaves the building. _Not hard at all,_ he answers. But that’s always been his issue - impulse control. 

It seems like the days are getting shorter and shorter because by the time he’s leaving the agency whatever brightness the sun emitted from behind cloudy grey skies is already fading. Despite nightfall and light snow flurries falling he doesn’t feel like heading home quite yet and he wanders around until he finds a nice, clean little bar that’s covered in dark wood and lit low on the inside.

He orders a beer from the bartender and as he waits his phone rings.

“Hey,” he says, and nods at the bartender when she places a pint in front of him and he goes to sit at a table.

“How did auditions go?” Jo immediately asks.

“It was pretty good,” Kai says taking his sip from his beer and looking out the window. “I still like the script, the reading was painless...” he hesitates on telling his sister the details, not wanting her to get too excited just yet.

“What?” Jo says, immediately. “You’re not telling me something.”

Kai rolls his eyes. Sometimes he gets sick of the twin thing. How does it still work hundreds of miles away? “Nothing,” he says casually. “I read for both supporting and lead last time, but this audition it was just for lead.”

“Kai!” Jo exclaims and he grimaces. “Kai, that is a huge deal.”

“It’s not that big of a deal-“

“It is. First they call you personally, and then have you read for lead. In a Salvatore-“

“Jo,” Kai cuts her off firmly. “It’s not a big deal. I really don’t want to talk about it yet.” He hates getting his hopes up and she knows that.

“You’re so weird,” his hears his other little sister say, sounding echoy

“Am I am on speaker?” he asks, annoyed.

“Yeah,” Jo say absently.

“Why don’t you ever tell me? And what’s Livvy even doing there?”

“I’m visiting my sister,” Liv shouts from where she is. “We can’t all just move across country and pretend our family doesn’t exist.”

“This is why I don’t call you,” Kai says tiredly, rubbing his eyes with a thumb and forefinger.

“Whatever,” he hears Livvy grumble and a door shut loudly. Jo sighs.

“Well, you hurt her feelings.”

“Her feelings are constantly hurt. It doesn’t matter what I say.”

“Maybe if you came to see us every one in a while...or, I don’t know, call more...” Kai doesn’t answer. “Are you coming home for Christmas? New Years?” Kai sips his beer and lets the silence on his end go on. “Kai,” Jo says softly. “She’s not getting any better.”

“Is she getting any worse?” he asks quickly, throat suddenly feeling tight with worry.

“No,” his twin admits. “But she isn’t getting better. She wants to see you.”

“I bet she does,” he murmurs and closes his eyes, not meaning for that to slip out. He tries to keep what he really thinks to himself these days.

“C’mon-“ Jo begins but he cuts her off.

“Uh, listen. I have to catch the train soon and my phone is dying. But I’ll call you later.”

“Whatever, Malachai,” Jo says hanging up first.

_Yeah, whatever_ , he sends back at her mentally and he imagines she can hear him all the way in Seattle.

He goes back to his beer, finishing most of it in one go and gestures for another. His mind goes back to auditions, and he thinks back on what he told Josette. He wasn't lying when he said he did alright. He didn’t leave feeling as nervous as he did the time before and that was always a good sign. Nerves he was used to - it was a new experience to leave the casting room in a heavy dollop of a haze though. He sees those glittering green eyes and a warm smile filling his minds eye. He presses his lips together when his stomach does that somersault it tends to do when he sees a woman he’s stupidly attracted to.

Of course, he’s been in this fucking city for over three years and the first woman that makes him do a legitimate double take is the woman who he cannot make a move on whatsoever. It makes sense; after his last fling that was too boring and went on for far too long months ago it’s now, when he’s finally decided to stop trying to find anything truly meaningful in this city, when the universe drops a pretty, petite beauty with bronze skin, full lips and a figure that could kill right in front of him. Not to mention for being such a small thing, she radiates power, his Achilles heel. He can still feel her eyes dragging slowly down his body and her soft skin on his and in the reflection of the glass he can see his nostrils flare in frustration. 

She probably looked at everyone like that, touched everyone like that - it was literally her job. It’s not her fault that he hasn’t had sex in months and she looks, and smells, and moves like...that.

He needs to stop thinking about it. He needs to stop thinking about her. 

So he does. He scrolls aimlessly on his phone, looks at the people passing by the bar, watches the news anchor on TV talk about how the world is burning to the ground and decides to order one more beer after he checks his watch to see that he still has plenty of time before he has to catch the train. Kai is firmly not thinking about Bonnie Bennett until the exact moment she walks into the dark bar, shaking little flurries out of her hair and Kai throws a curse up at the universe and whoever up there loves fucking with him.

Her heels click by lightly as she walks to an empty stool to take a seat at the bar. She takes off her black leather gloves, stuffing them into her black purse which heralds a golden YSL as the clasp. When she removes her long, dark plum coat to hang on the back of the chair he gets a waft of that light, fresh smelling perfume. She looks relaxed and a little tired as she gestures to the bartender. Bonnie smiles easily at the young woman and they share a little laugh. 

He realizes he’s been staring and tears his eyes away from her as she looks down to scroll on her phone, her long, loosely curled hair tucked behind her ear. Kai stares at the tv but doesn’t take in a single thing the news broadcaster is saying even as what he’s pretty sure what looks to be an image of an atomic bomb going off is pictured in the corner.

“Mr. Parker?”

Kai looks to see Bonnie looking at him, mildly confused but not displeased. He feigns ignorance as if just spotting her. “Hey!” he says ignoring the nerves in his stomach and heat burning his ears. “Mrs. Bennett!” She picks up her purse and jacket, with a ‘do you mind if I join’ gesture and he waves her over. When she settles across from him she smiles.

“I thought I told you, it’s Bonnie. Or at least Ms. Bennett if manners are hardwired into you,” she huffs a little laugh. “I’m not married, is what I mean,” she clarifies. 

The bells in his head ringing from this fact are _just_ distant enough to be ignored. 

“Oh, I’m sorry - it’s just the first time we spoke I referred to you as Mrs.-“

She waves her hand. “So many people assume I’m married, or it’s a slip of the tongue. I just don’t feel the need to correct every one, I talk to so many people every day. It’s just easier for me to say ‘just call me Bonnie’ in most cases,” she rambles a little and then trails off as if realizing what she’s doing. “So, just call me Bonnie,” she finishes and he looks down at his beer, hiding his smile. 

“Bonnie. Got it,” He likes how it feels on his tongue.

“You must live close,” she continues. “No one knows about this hole in the wall.’

“I’m not that close,’ he admits. “I’m in Brooklyn, but I didn’t feel like making my way on over there yet. I’m never really in the city so I figured why not hang out for a minute.”

“Well, you have great intuition,” she says, as the waitress places what looks to be some type of whiskey in front of her with a black napkin. She thanks her and takes a sip through the thin black straw. “This place is great. Nice, quiet. I’m dreading the day Guy Ferrari finds out about it.”

Kai laughs, and she smirks. He watches her sip her drink. She stirs the couple of ice cubs around, and even though there’s a moment of quiet, it doesn’t feel awkward. He looks at her and studies how her brows are slightly furrowed as if deep in thought.

He bumps his leg againsthers, praying last minute she isn’t one of those people who don’t like being touched. He isn't a touchy feely guy normally, but something in him responds to something that feels familiar in her. “How was your day?”

She looks at him, straight at him, and fuck she’s gorgeous. Almost unnaturally so. It’s almost as if she is assessing him, trying to find something. He doesn’t know what it is but apparently she does find it because she shrugs and looks out of the window, relaxed again. “It was long, and grueling. But I loved it.” She takes another sip of her drink and looks back at him, eyes searching his expression. “How about you?”

“It was ok. I had to take care of something nerve wracking, but I came out feeling ok.”

“You were nervous?” she asks, sounding surprised.

“Oh yeah,” he says, then shakes his head. “Maybe I shouldn’t be telling you that,” he says, laughing it off 

“No,” Bonnie says. “No, I’m glad you are. You handle your nerves well. No one could tell. That’s really good.”

“Thanks,” he says looking away briefly. He doesn’t like talking about himself so he searches his mind to change the subject. “Do you come here often?” he asks. 

She shrugs. “Enough. Sometimes I just want to be alone and just unwind.”

“Full house?”

“Hah, no.” Bonnie says dryly. “Unless you count my giant baby of a dog. No, I guess I meant I like being alone but I like to people watch.”

“Trying to find new talent?” he jokes and she smiles a little.

“Maybe. I can’t help it. I see all these people passing by,” she nods at the window “and I think of how they would look on film. I wonder if they know about their angles, I wonder what their voice sounds like. Sometimes I randomly find models for my friend’s agency, and that’s not even my job.” She sips her drink again. “But I’m bad at leaving work at work.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

“Oh, you bring it home to your wife?” Her foot brushes against his calf lightly and his heart rushes a little at the contact.

“Not married either,” he says. “And no girlfriend.” Her foot continues to rub and he clears his throat as she innocently sips her drink, watching him with those feline eyes. “Nah, I mean my family. They’re in Seattle, so it’s not exactly bringing it home to them as much as leaving them for it.”

“Do you miss them?”

“Not really?” he says half-kidding and her lips quirk in a smile. “Sometimes,” he settles on.

“Loving the city too much?”

“More like love the opportunities.” She nods. “It gets lonely though; I don’t really know anyone here, besides my neighbor.”

“They aren’t friendly?”

“Oh, she’s plenty friendly,” he leans forward on his forearms, “but she’s seventy-eight and doesn’t stay up past eight so... she makes a mean sponge cake, though.”

Bonnie giggles. “How long have you been in New York?“

“Long enough to have made some friends,” he admits. 

“Why haven’t you?” she asks curiously.

”Busy,” he says honestly. “Between working and auditions, it’s hard to find the time, you know?”

She nods. “I do.This business is like tunnel vision,” she says. “It just sucks you in. I wake up and it’s work, I get off it’s on my mind, I go to places like these and watch people.” She shakes her head, smiling ruefully. “I get home and even when I try to watch something to take my mind off of the day I just end up googling work histories.”

“So basically you’re saying you eat, breathe, and sleep work?” Kai says, pressing his leg into her touch which has steadily been driving him crazy as she speaks. 

“You forgot dream.“

He laughs and studies her. The line of her throat, the way her lips form a pretty little ‘o’ around her straw, her perfectly manicured fingernails painted in a natural tone shaped a little sharply. Fingernails he imagines dragging down his back. Before he can stop himself he says, tone a little low, “sounds like you need an escape; you need to have fun.” Her foot moves a little further up his leg and they make eye contact. “Forget, you know,” he breathes, “just for a little while.”

“Really?” Her eyes sparkle as she stares at him. “You know, I think you’re right,” she says after running her eyes up and down him like she did in auditions. She pushes her now empty tumbler to the side and runs one of those elegant fingers over the side of his hand where it rests on the table between them, looking down demurely. “And how do you suggest I do that?”

And God, Kai wonders for the millionth time why he wasn’t born with enough self control. “I could think of a couple of ideas,” he murmers and lets his eyes run down to her chest as her foot slides down his leg, before it hooks around his ankle, pulling it towards her slightly

“Give me one,” she says, eyes daring and he licks his lips. 

—

 _This_ is why he didn't get all that self control, he thinks as he lifts Bonnie onto the bathroom counter kissing her deeply while she holds his facein her hands. Because he wouldn’t get what he wants and Kai lives for getting  what he wants. 

Bonnie makes a little sound of pleasure into his mouth when he slides his hands up her thighs and squeezes hard. The pencil skirt is tight, but he manages to hike it up far enough with her help and a tilt of her hips and then her hands are on the button of his jeans.

_Fuck fuck fuck_ is all he can think.  


She’s the casting director. He doesn’t want her to think he’s fucking her because he wants a role- 

She takes him in her small hand and pumps his shaft and his eyelids flutter. No. No he _is_ going to do this because if he doesn’t now he doesn’t think he’ll ever get another chance. And he wants another chance. They haven’t even _done_ anything yet and he already knows he’ll want to do it again.

She kisses and bites at his neck as his thumb rubs her clit through her lacy underwear. She’s so wet. Wet and warm for _him_ , and her hips keep moving in time to his touch, like she can barely wait to feel him. He can’t _think straight_ when she’s moving like that and he _needs_ to, but then she swipes the tip of his dick weeping precum with her thumb, smearing the liquid around and his breath judders and his thought process fails him again. 

She finds his pulse point and his eyes roll a little into the back of his head as she alternates between sucking and licking the obscenely sensitive area. Why can’t he do this again?  


Right.

Movie.

Big break. 

Getting it on his own merit-

_Fuck_ _merits,_ echos in his head as he looks down between their bodies to see her hips move just a little closer to the edge of the counter, hand gently guiding him towards her warm opening while his hands gripping her soft,round ass pull her closer.

_On your own merit._

“ _Fuck”_ he says aloud as he buries his face into her throat and she laughs breathlessly, purposely rubbing his tip against her clit and he feels her shiver. He's going to hate himself. He thinks it even as he moves closer, close enough that he can _taste_ how sweet it will feel to slide into her slick heat.

“Bonnie, Bonnie. I can’t- I want-“ _Shut up,_ his brain screams at him.

“What do you want?” she whispers against his ear, stroking him and he feels like whimpering. He thinks he actually does.

He swallows hard. “I want this so fucking bad, but not like this.” Her hand slows on him, but doesn’t stop completely and he presses closer to her. He pulls his face away from her throat and kisses her full on the lips, tongue chasing hers, cradling her head with his free hand so that she doesn’t see it as a rejection. 

Because it firmly _isn't_. 

He’s just an idiot that couldn’t resist.  
He couldn't wait until after auditions, she’s so goddamn tempting to him. 

“I want this so fucking bad,” he says against her lips. He presses his mouth a little hard against hers again. “I’m probably going to kill myself for saying this, but I don’t want it like this- in a bar bathroom. And not when I have to audition in front of you again.” Her hand stops now and she looks down. “Hey, hey,” he says soothingly and tilts her head back up with the hand that’s buried in her soft hair. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Literally. I cannot believe I am doing this,” the last sentence she says mostly to himself but the strain in his voice makes her lips twitch in what he thinks is a smile. “The second I saw you I wanted this. But - I just-“

“I get it,” she says. And not in the passive aggressive way he’s come to recognize growing up with so many sisters. If anything she sounds... but that’s not possible. Bonnie sounds even more turned on. 

“Do you?” he almost pleads hoping he’s not imagining things. She nods and unexpectedly gives his dick a few more deeply satisfying, oddly reassuring, strokes and he closes his eyes, taking a deep breath and presses his forehead against hers. 

“I get it. You want it to be fair and square,” she says as she massages him. Her voice is husky and he’s positive he makes some kind of helpless noise in the back of his throat. “You don’t want to think you got the part because you made me see God.”

“You think I’d make you see God?” he asks faintly. He begins to rubs her clit idly again as her hand moves on him slowly. It’s like they can’t stop. He watches her face, mesmerized at how her mouth falls open slightly, teeth pulling at the plump flesh occasionally when he rubs a certain spot. 

“I think that’s a good idea,” she whispers eventually, her breathing a little heavy. 

“Huh,” he says still looking at her lips. Her hips begin to move again and she kisses him softly. Their bodies start to move closer together. “You shouldn’t fuck me,” she whispers stroking him a little faster. He nods stupidly and she moans sexily when he sinks two fingers inside of her slowly. Jesus, she’s even wetter. “We shouldn’t. We aren’t going to, to keep it fair,” she says and licks the seam of his lips as she barely fucks herself on his fingers. He removes his hand from her head to grip the counter hard as her fist wrapped around him twists in a fluid motion on the downstroke that makes his knees weak. He inhales deeply through his nose as she continues to kiss him while stroking and squeezing around his fingers as he moves them shallowly. She’s sensory overload. He feels like he has no control and he loves it. But then her hand is slowing down again. And then she’s stopping completely and she bites his lip one last time before licking it soothingly. She lets go of him slowly and he slips his fingers out of her and she bites her lip hard when he does. She places a palm on his chest and pushes him back slightly.

He watches her close her eyes as she takes a deep breath before hoping off of the counter to turn and look at herself in the mirror. She pulls that skirt down over her perfectly, high, round ass and he silently laments the loss of all that perfect caramel skin. He continues to watch in a sort of daze as she makes sure not a hair is out of place and her makeup is neat before she turns to look back at him. Her heels sound loud in the bathroom as she walks up to him and he looks down at her. Her small hands deftly tuck him away back into his boxer briefs and he can’t help but bend to capture her lips. She kisses back immediately and he’s backing her into the bathroom counter again. They kiss for so long, and it gets so heated that he thinks they are just going to wind up back in the same position but then she’s pulling away, licking her lips, eyes smoldering. She cups his hardness and squeezes softly. “I’ll see you out there,” she whispers against his mouth. She kisses him softly on the cheek and then the sound of her heels are clicking towards the door and she’s gone.

Kai wants to strangle himself. His soul wants to leave his body to strangle him to death only to be mad it’s killed it’s vessel after the fact. He groans loudly in the empty bathroom. What was he thinking? What just happened? He takes a minute, or five, to compose himself.

When he finally comes out of the bathroom he’s mildly surprised to see her still there, in the same seat across to his own. He isn’t sure how to proceed. He’s glad she hasn’t left but he thought she meant see him out there at auditions. She literally meant see him out here in the bar now - she’s sticking around. She looks up at him, smirking, and he’s hooked. He slides right back into the seat across from her, taking her lead, as if they didn’t just almost fuck each other’s brains out in the bathroom a few feet away.

She has a fresh drink in front of her. “You and I are a lot alike,” she says after a few seconds and she almost sounds normal. That slight husky undertone is still there and he’s sure his voice is the same when he asks “How?”

“Morals, standards,” she says. “How you want things done ethically, in a business where the word is merely a suggestion.”

”I’ve been told it’s my weakness,” he admits. 

”By who?”

”Other actors, agents, two of my brothers,” he laughs humorlessly. “I’m just not into the politics.”

Bonnie nods. “I’m the same. I mean, I agree, with what you said. Earlier.” He remembers the feeling of her soft hand holding him just tight enough and he shifts in his seat. She continues. “I don’t want you to think you were given this, _if_ you’re given this role, that it’s because we.... and I don’t want you to think you _didn’t_ get it because we didn’t.... I just-“ she pauses and thinks. “I want it to be...”

“Irrelevant,” he finishes for her.

“Exactly. Irrelevant. Because I mean it, what I say at auditions. I think you’re great. At acting,” she hurries to say and he fails to stifle a grin. “Good enough to work with in the future, no matter how this role goes. I think you need better representation, to really get to work.”

“You think I need an agent?”

“I think you need an agency who understands how you think. One that takes the time out to know you as a client, yes.“ She looks at him “ But we can talk about that later,” she says. 

He crosses his arms and leans forward on the table, attention fully focused on her. “What do you want to talk about instead?” At this point she could read him the white pages and he’d listen. 

She blushes underneath his undivided attention and clears her throat. “Well, considering that we, uh, skipped some steps, I don’t think we have to keep it so formal,” she says carefully. 

He nods, smiling at her. “I agree. I mean, to be overly polite now would just make it awkward since we’ve-“

”Yeah,” Bonnie says and he wants to lean forward and kiss her again as she speaks. “It would, so I guess we need to settle in a good place. Since we already-“

”I agree.” They smile at each other, and he gets lost in her eyes the longer they look into his. “So,” she finally says quietly, “tell me more about you. You said you’re from Seattle? I’ve never been.”

-

Being around Kai is remarkably easy, talking with him is even easier. He tells her about his ’freakishly huge’ family back in Seattle, and she tells him about growing up as an only child with her Grandmother and Father. They talk about how ruthless the industry is and they make each other laugh with their own personal anecdotes.  They try to keep the flirting at a minimum but their fingers still manage to tangle together while they laugh and more than once Bonnie realizes that their faces are merely inches apart.

By the time they leave the bar it’s past one a.m and the snow has long stopped falling. 

“We, I, _you_ let me drink too much,” Bonnie hears herself say. Kai chuckles and she laughs a little too.

”Are you ok?” He asks her, voice amused and for some reason it makes her want to laugh even more. “Bonnie?” he says, even though he sounds close to cracking up too. He drank a little more than her. 

”I’m fine!” she says, whiskey making her feel warm and happy. “I didn’t have _too,_ too much.“ She unhooks her arm from his and walks ahead of him, balancing carefully on her red bottoms. Bonnie walks in a straight line as if he’d ask her to complete a field sobriety test. “See!” she says and turns smoothly to face him proudly. “I’m gooood,” she assures him and Kai laughs. 

“You forgot to say your ABC’s backwards,” he chides walking towards her, looking down into her face when he gets close enough, hands stuffed in his pockets. 

”Well, then lock me up,” she mutters, “I can’t even do that when I’m sober.”

She slips her arm back through his as they continue to walk. “Call me crazy, but I don’t want to put you into the back of an Uber like this alone.”

“Like what?” Bonnie hiccups. 

“Like this,” he says. “You’re too small, too drunk, and I’d feel responsible.”

“Hey, I’m not too small.” Bonnie counters. “You’re just extra tall.”

“Small enough that it adds an extra layer of worry. You said you don’t live far right? Want to keep walking, sober up a little?”

“Unless you’re going to carry me, walking is done; I’m getting cold and I’m over these heels. And we don’t do barefoot in New York city” she clumsily pulls out her phone. “But you won’t have to worry. Just ride with me.” 

“Is your place close to the train station?”

“Uh,” she blinks bringing her nose closer to her phone to take in the app on her screen. “Nope.” Then she looks up at him, aghast. “You were going to take a train home at _2_ _am_?”

He shrugs, smiling down at her. “Why not? And,” he wraps a leading arm around her waist,gently redirecting her away from the curb which she was unwittingly walking towards, “how about we lean against a wall, hm?”

“You’re a wall,” she utters stupidly as she orders an Uber to their location and he laughs as she lets him steer her to lean against the wall of a bodega. “Oh, food.” She strides up to the bulletproof window on the side of the building. “Hola, papi,” she says easily. “How’s it goin’?”

“Wassup, Mami. You here late, today. What happen, what you need?” the older Hispanic man says in a heavy accent. She sees Manuel nearly every morning before work to grab a muffin or a sandwich. 

“Ah, déjame un huevo de tocino y queso, por favor? Dos,” she turns to Kai. “You like breakfast?” she asks Kai? Kai nods, smiling at her. “Dos,’ she confirms. “Oh, y más queso y huevo en uno.”

“Okay, Mami,” he nods and tells her the price. She hands over her card in the little plexiglass box that he turns to grab it, ring her up, and give it back. 

She turns to Kai and smiles a little. “They melt in your mouth. And I have fresh blueberry lemonade at home. You’ll love it - I got it at Whole Foods for _way_ too much money.”

“Oh, I’m coming over?” And Bonnie feels her face get hot at her assumption, but she plays it off. 

“If you want to, I mean,” she says trying to sound casual, “an Uber to where you live is a round ticket to Dubai and I cannot have you stabbed on the subway before you get casted for this thing.” 

He chuckles. “Are you sure?” he asks and she knows he’s thinking of earlier in the bathroom. But they have self control (right?) and oddly she doesn’t want to leave his company quite yet. 

“Yeah, I am sure. We’ll eat, drink tons of water,you’ll sober up and then you’ll, you know, take the subway when you’re not inebriated and get home safe and sound, unstabbed.”

“Is that even a word?” He comes to stand in front of her and she looks up into his ridiculously handsome face. “Unstabbed?”

“It is now,” she says. The brisk air is helping her sober up a little but a big gust has her shivering. Kai steps forward, unbuttoning his coat and she automatically leans off of the wall and into his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. He closes the jacket around them and she’s engulfed in his warmth, loving the smell and the feel of him.  The feeling is so viscerally good and unexpectedly sudden, she blames the alcohol when her eyes water slightly. 

She sniffs and Kai looks down at her, rubbing her back. “You okay?”

”Yes. I promise. I just - my eyes water sometimes, when I drink. I’m one of those,” she says lamely.

”Hmm,” he says non committedly, hand still rubbing her back absently. 

“What set that off just now? What did you think about?”

_That you smell good. And feel safe. And warm. _ Bright blue eyes that she’s sick of seeing swim in her vision and she blinks them away. “You just smell really good,” she sniffs, laughing weakly, and she steps away from him, wiping her eyes. “I’m not crazy, I swear,” she says. “It’s just a side effect of dark liquor and the wind. I’m done.”

”Hm,” he makes a considering noise. She hears a tap on plexiglass and she sees a black plastic bag sitting in the opening.

”Gracias, Papi,” she calls from the side

“No problem,” he says and goes back to his tv show as Kai grabs the bag 

“Okay,” Kai says, but not unkindly. He just loops the bag over his wrist and pulls her in again, and she wonders if she’s imagining him holding her a little tighter than before, the palm on the small of her back still making small, soothing circles. “Do those shoes hurt?” he asks, out of nowhere. 

“Always,” she responds immediately. 

“Take them off and stand on my feet,” he says and she laughs looking up at him. 

“You’re drunk.”

“That I am,” he confirms, eyes meeting hers warmly. “But I mean it, do it. I have three little sisters, remember? I know those things kill. They do it all the time.” She stares at him, at his lips, as he speaks. “You don’t have to,” he says mildly, shrugging. 

She thinks only for a moment before she takes off her heels and bends to hook her fingers to hold them. She steps on his feet and the relief is immediate. She sighs and he chuckles. 

“What?”

“Nothing, nothing,” he says. “you literally just shrank down to nothing.”

“Shut up,” she huffs into his warm chest.

She feels him press his face into her hair. “It’s cute,” he says lowly. 

Bonnie feels herself blush and just snuggles closer. They stand like that for maybe another five or so minutes before their ride comes and then they’re being whisked to Bonnie’s apartment.

—

“Blueberry, down,” she tells her growling puppy. She squats down to his eye level. “It’s ok. I’m ninety - eight percent sure he’s agood one.”Kai chuckles behind her as he closes the door behind him. “But keep an eye on him,” she whispers loudly and stands back up. 

Seeing him in her space should feel jarring but all it does is make her feel like she wouldn’t mind seeing him come through that door more often.

“Do you have plans in the morning?” she asks him.

“Thank God, no.” He shrugs off his coat and looks around. “Just have to pack to go back home, but the flight isn’t until Sunday evening.”

“You can just drop it on the couch,” she says waving towards the plushearth toned couch and his coat. He looks around. It isn’t what he expected. He isn’t sure what he expected - maybe sleek and rich looking, like her, but it’s almost as if she’s brought the forest into her penthouse. There are tall, lush green plants in the corners, and on shelves. The furniture is a light wood and there are candles strewn about the table tops. A huge, filled bookshelf shaped like the Hamsa is the centerpiece of one wall and tiny, warm fairy lights are along the tops of the windows. The couches are plush and earthy colored, accents of white and very pale pink tying everything together. It’s warm and cozy and he immediately likes it, making him wonder even more about her personality. 

“Any preference?”

“Hm?” He looks to where she is in the kitchen and he makes his way over to her.

“Pizza or Chinese?”

“You’re still hungry?” he asks her impressed. They both polished off their bacon, egg, and cheeses on the ride here. 

“You're not?” She looks surpised. 

“Well, yeah,” he admits “But I didn’t think - nevermind. Chinese.”

”There’s a menu on the fridge,” she says, pulling off her heels and holding onto his shoulder for balance. He lets himself hold her waist with one hand as she does so. “My doorman saw your face and ID, and my dog will kill you - he’s literally trained to so.”

He blinks at her non sequitur. She takes off her other shoe and looks up at him, her hand on his chest now. 

”I really want a quick shower,” she explains. “I smell like bar. So if you were thinking of killing me-“

“Ok, just go,” he says and she grins at him. He feels the intense need to kiss her again. He wants to pull her close and just kiss her softly, once, before she disappears to do whatever she needs to do.He feels a strong sense of deja vu, her putting him on food duty after a long night of enjoying each other’s company. He strokes her side with his thumb and she smiles softly. She leans in and puts her lips against his ear, still a little giggly from her buzz. “Seriously,” she breathes and his hand tightens in her waist. “Blueberry will kill you. He looks cute, but I paid five thousand bucks so he can destroy on command.”

“I got it,” he whispers, and can’t help but slide his hand down over her hip to rest on the swell of her ass. He disguises it as using the movement to turn her around. “You’re safe,” he assures her. “Not a murderer; I just played one on tv. Twice.” She giggles again and he watches her walk away, hips swaying side to side in that skirt, indulging in the view.

He lets out a long breath and looks at the crowded fridge searching for the right menu and trying to guess what she’ll want to eat.

—

“Thank God. I feel way better.” She comes out with her face scubbed clean and in a pair of black silk pajamas, her small, cute feet bare on the hardwood floors. Her long, thick hair is in a loose bun piled on top of her head and she looks twice as pretty than she does when she’s all made up. 

“Oh, so you just look like that,” he says when she sits on the chair beside the couch. 

“Like what?”

“Just beautiful no matter what,” he states. 

“Oh shut up,” she laughs and rolls her eyes but she looks pleased. He loves how at ease she is in her skin - the way she lounges with her legs to the side, knees slightly bent reminds him of royalty. 

“I’m serious,” he continues. “I bet you're one of those people who still look good when they cry or when they're sick.”

She laughs. “Yeah you should see me during flu season. I’m freakin Adriana Lima over here.”

He laughs and turns down the television where he’s been watching Gordon Ramsey screaming at a kitchen full of terrified chefs.

“He's not that bad, you know” she says. “Gordon.”

“Never met him.”

“I have. It’s all for the cameras. He’s actually pretty sweet. Now Bobby Flay, _he’s_ a jerk.” She gets up and heads towards the kitchen and he follows her. 

“Really?”

“Oh yeah,” her eyes light up at the food cartons. “If he wasn’t a chef he’d be that cop who plants drugs on you and then arrests you for possession.”

“Does he talk about how good his wife’s Texnex is while you’re cuffed in the backseat.”

“Ugh, yes,” she laughs. “It’s like, we get it, Jill can stuff a mean Poblano pepper, damn.”

He grins and picks up a random Chinese container. “I ordered shrimp lomein, rice and sweet and sour chicken. You kinda wandered off before you could tell me what you wanted, so I figured the basics would work.”

“Oh, that's fine,” she says. She walks by him to go to the light wooden cabinets with glass windows and he can smell the light sweet scent of her lotion mingling with her soap. He wants to take her by the hand and pull her close. Instead he does nothing as she grabs two plates and automatically begins to pile food on both. He watches her talk about one of her favorite restaurants, a place named Jungsik, as she fixes his plate and a feeling of fondness wells up in him. “Is that too much?” she asks him and he shakes his head. 

“It’s just enough - I need to save room for that blueberry lemonade you tempted me here with.” She giggles and licks her thumb of some stray sauce as she turns to open the fridge. 

—

“I can’t watch people getting screamed at about food as I eat food,” she states, sitting next to him Indian style. 

“Fair enough,” he says and grabs the remote. Next in her que is something very familiar.

“You watched The Journals?” he asks her and she shrugs.

”Yeah. It’s where I found you. Sort of.”

“What do you mean?”

She looks hesitant for a split second before continuing, “I saw you on The Journals and thought you’d be good for this part.” He stares at her. He got called in from that teen drama he did years ago? So long ago it feels like a dream? “What?” she says, sounding defensive at his dubious expression. “It’s a good show! Have you seen it?”

He laughs. “I was _on_ it.”

“Oh. Yeah,” she eats a spoonful of rice. “Anyway, I’d been watching it, I saw you, and wanted to call you for this role.” She swallows, “but when I tried to find you we hit dead ends. And then you landed on my desk for that pilot. Well, you’d actually been sitting there for at least a week before Salvatore came to me and I was going to hand it over to one of my employees before I decided to browse the headshots myself”

“So its fate that we met.” It comes out before he can even stop himslef, knowing he sounds cheesy. 

“I guess you could say that,” she says a little shyly. 

“Well,” he says. “I’d rather not watch myself. I try to hold off on such narcissistic behavior until at least the third date.”

“Oh, so this is a date?”

“Of sorts,” he says and she nods. “A friend date.”

“It’s a weird first friend date,” she concludes.

“I like weird.”

“Me too.”

They stare at each other again, and this time he lets her look away first. He can’t pretend that he doesn’t want to look at her anymore. “Great British Baking Show?” she suggests.

“Whatever you want,” he says and she looks at him out of the corner of her eye, smiling slightly. They both polish off their food while watching the surprisingly stressful show. Kai can almost feel his blood pressure going up as the clock ticks down and both he and Bonnie loudly lamnet when the roof to a phenomenal gingerbread house comes crashing in

“I can’t take this” he says and she giggles. Their plates are in the sink and they each have a glass of red wine in front of them. A woman with a haphazard bun bursts into tears as she turns with her completed tin of cupcakes only to have another contestant accidentally bump into her as they hurry to their station and they crash to the floor.

“Oooh,” both he and Bonnie grimace. They’ve drifted closer together on the couch and she rests curled up against his side, his arm thrown over her shoulder. “You watch this regularly?” he asks. 

“Yeah, isn’t it good?”

“I would have never guessed you have such a dark side.”

“What do you mean?”

“This is obviously a place where cute baking dreams come to die,” he gestures at the sobbing woman explaining to the judges why there are two missing cupcakes. “They could have shared the cupcake,” he says. “It could have been judged.”

“That’s not the point,” she explains. “It has to be the right quantity too. It’s part of the rules.”

“It’s torture.”

“It’s amazing,” she reaches forward for her wine glass and takes a sip. She sets it back down and rests her hand on his thigh when she settles back. A few seconds later she lifts it up, lets it hover, and then she rests it in her own lap. Immediately, bakers having mental breakdowns on TV lose his interest and he’s completely focused on her.

_It’s already almost happened,_ he tells himself. _And you two spoke about it. You understand each other..._

_There’s no reason not to..._

_You might never get a chance if she takes you on as a client..._

_Isn’t that why you really came here?_

_Not completely..._ that thought surprises him with how true it rings. He genuinely just didn’t feel like saying goodnight quite yet, then and now. But it’s probably close to four a.m and he still doesn’t want to go but he’s never been one to out stay his welcome. _You still have time to get out before you fuck this up-_

Her hand comes back to rest on his thigh and he stays put. 

—

Bonnie’s mind is working almost too quickly for her to keep up. She’s never done this before, doing whatever it is her and Kai are doing, with a client. Or a potential client. Or anyone she was working with in any capacity for that matter.

But it’s too easy with him. His arm around her feels like it belongs there and when she rests her hand back on his leg his fingers absently trace her arm.

Would he think she was trying to coherence him into anything even though they talked about it? Was this accidentally going to be misconstrued into a ‘you scratch my back I scratch yours’ situation, because she did _not_ want that. It’s just that he’s both calming and stimulating to be around. He‘s witty, and intense, and ridiculously handsome, and he was _close_. And if earlier in the restroom indicated anything the sex would be amazing. Her blood runs hot as she remembers. Caroline’s question rings in her head; when _was_ the last time she’d had sex? And _why_ did she have to zero in on the worst (but really the best) possible choice.

She wonders if she should move her hand again, and begins to lift it up when his other hand takes hers, lacing their fingers together. Her pulse starts to race as he bends his head to put his lips next to her ear and he shifts a little bit in his seat. “It’s okay,” he whispers and kisses the skin there.

“It is?” she breathes out, turning her head in his direction. She feels him nod and he kisses her in the same spot.

“I know we said no,” he says lowly, slowly, bringing his hand up to cup her face, looking her in the eyes. “But maybe we should get it out of our systems.” She nods andtheir noses rub together softly.

“Just this once” she breathes and he nods, looking down at her lips while licking his own. 

“Yeah,” and then he’s kissing her and it’s such a relief to taste him again that Bonnie immediately sighs. He pulls her into his lap and she smiles against his lips.

“Just this once,” she whispers and he smiles back running his hand up underneath black silk. Sheruns her fingers through his short hair, and feels the tension leave her body as his hands roam over her bare skin.

“Where’s the...”

“Down the hall and to the right,” she laughs on the last word as he stands up quickly, his hands having slid underneath her black silk bottoms to clutch at her bare ass so that she stays firmly wrapped around his body. He kisses her softly over and over again as he makes his way to her bedroom.

“This one,” she whispers and he nods, quietly kissing her throat. Bonnie thought he would be a talker but he’s quiet and focused when he presses her against the bedroom wall and looks down at her, eyes intense and his attention completely and solely on her. The way he gazes at her has a shiver running through her body like the first time she laid eyes on him. She’s never been under what feels like such laser focus before. It feels heavy, yet intoxicating. 

“Take this off,” he says quietly, touching her silky top and when she starts to unbutton the tiny clasps he sinks to his knees in front of her. He holds her eyes as he pulls down her pants and she steps out of them. She’d skipped underwear and her heart begins to beat erratically when he leans forward. Both of their eyes slip shut when he nuzzles her mound gently, breathing in her scent deeply. She’s already wet; she’s been in a semi-permanent state of arousal for hours now so when he places one of her legs over his shoulders to open her up to him she’s already a little shakey from adrenaline. The first broad swipe of his tongue almost has her buckling. She whimpers when he immediately focuses on her clit. His fingers tease at her opening and she grips his hair, pushing her pussy into his mouth. “Please” she begs faintly and she feels two long fingers slide inside of her, hooking just so. He strokes in and out of her until he touches a spot _deep_ inside of her that makes electricity shoot through her veins and she cries out. 

Through hazy eyes she sees him grin to himself in the near darkness and he continues to massage that spot while sucking and licking circles on her clit. She begins to feel funny, like she can’t take a fully deep breath; she bows over, holding onto his shoulder and head while he uses his other hand to hold onto her hip firmly, giving her some stability. His fingers keep massaging and stroking that spot inside of her and the resulting sensation twists in her so deliciously that it’s quickly becoming overwhelming. She can’t breathe, think, talk, anything; all she can do is gasp at the odd, hungry, desperate sensation she can’t get enough of as it builds inside of her. She’s had countless orgasms, but this one is different, it builds up in her lower spine, her chest, her thighs, her stomach; she lets out a whine as he patiently eats her out as she undulates against him. Finally, his fingers press up right when her hips are pressing down and his tongue hits just the right spot and it’s like her orgasm is being ripped from her. She hears herself sob out a cry but it’s overshadowed by the feeling of an unexpected gush of liquid flowing out of her and into his mouth, what he’s missed dripping down her thighs. She feels herself shaking as he rises from his knees, chin wet from her and he licks his lips, eyes blazing 

“Wha-“ she tries to say, dazed. Did he- did she- 

He kisses her deeply and she tastes herself on his lips and they both moan. She’s utterly pliant in his hands, still in shock at what just happened, but he picks her up again and this time lays her on the California King. He pulls his T-shirt off in one move and he smirks at her as he unbuttons his jeans. “I thought I said take that off,” he murmurs playfully but still assertive and she revels at the slightly commanding tone in his voice. 

With clumsy fingers she pulls at the buttons on her top but then he’s naked in front of her and it’s a sight to behold. He’s built like a god, not that she couldn’t tell from how he wears his clothes but to see him in the bedroom lit only by candle light is different. She stares, wanting to touch him again. 

He kneels on the bed and kisses her thigh before he wraps an arm around her back and hauls her to him so they're face to face - he handles her like she weighs nothing to him and her pussy throbs. 

“Need help?” he whispers, sounding slightly amused, and she nods before kissing him again. She still feels like her whole body is tingling and she wants more. Needs more. She feels the skin of her torso exposed to the air and she takes her arms from around his neck to help the silk slip off her shoulders and arms before putting them right back around him. She can’t get enough of the taste of him or the feeling of him pressing tightly against her. He lays her back and he’s moving down her body again. If she had it in her to be embarrassed she would be at how her hips are already straining, rising eagerly to meet him and she melts into the bed, sighing loudly when he begins to eat her out slowly. 

“Do it again,” she pleads breathlessly. “Please- I’ve never...”

She trails off, but by the little smile she feels against her folds right before he kisses her clit softly and slides his fingers in again right at that perfect angle lets her know he understands. She’d come so hard before she thinks it would take longer the second time but it’s less than ten minutes before he has her thanking him in a broken voice and seeing lights behind her eyelids as she squirts harder than before, body shivering uncontrollably. 

He kisses her hip, and her quivering stomach before kneeling between her legs just to watch her hungrily as she comes back down to Earth. He runs his hand up and down her side and thigh soothingly and when he finally leans down to kiss her she doesn’t care if she kisses him back like she’s in love. 

“You taste so good,” he says into her mouth and she smiles dreamily. He says it like he’s in awe and her heart starts to speed up even more when she realizes he just came up for air - he’s not done yet. 

“Oh...” is all she can utter as she legitimately feels her soul begin to leave her body within five minutes. He laps at her, sucks, dips his tongue in, gathering her juices like he can’t get enough. She literally cannot think about anything - usually during sex her mind can easily be somewhere else at any given moment, but his touch makes it so trying to hold any coherent thought in her head is like trying to cup water in her palm. He focuses on her overly sensitive clit and her back arches, fingers tangling in his hair as she cries out. She’s so close, already again; what the hell, how is he-

Her legs begin to tremble as his fingers keep working that engorged spot deeply inside of her. It feels as if her body is fighting against the pleasure overload, still not fully used to the sensations, but he moans at her struggle, sounding blissful as her body tries to understand, and she grips the sheets. His tongue slides over her clit over and over and his fingers crook and she comes for a third time, her body convulsing as he laps at her, drinking her down. “F-fu-“ her voice trembles as he sucks on her a little harder and she cries out as another unexpected wave of pleasure crashes over her and she feels another pulse of liquid flow down the creases of her thighs. She feels him hold her hips up and then his tongue is lower, spreading her open lapping at her rim, before he moans deeply, even louder than before and gently but firmly licks into her. Her body feels like it exists just to feel this much pleasure, she feels like she’ll die at how good she feels. She reaches down and rubs her clit while he rims her and within thirty seconds she’s coming again, her moans turning into a hoarse scream. 

She can’t think. She can’t breathe. She can’t move. Kai seems like he could keep going but she weakly tries to move up the bed away from his mouth. Another aftershock rolls through her at the wicked look on his face, her heart pounding, but all he does is kiss her inner thigh. One then the other, licking up some of her wetness. “Turn over,” he says gruffily as he straightens up and she does, or tries to; her limbs still feel weak and her legs are trembling. He wraps an arm gently around her waist to support her and he kisses the side of her neck. “Perfect,” he whispers into her hair, wrapping a hand around her throat so her back is to his front. “So fucking perfect,” he turns her head using the thumb underneath her jaw and he kisses her tenderly as he slides inside of her in one sure movement that has her crying out as he stretches her, filling her all the way up. He presses his face against her hair and begins to move.

He fucks her at a steady pace, and it’s as if he already knows her body. Like they’ve done this a thousand times before, the angle he thrusts at pulling a cry or whimper out of her every time, unbidden. It feels like he can get her body to do whatever he wants. If he wants to make her sigh he can, if he wants to make her shiver and say his name, he does. If he wants to keep hitting that spot that makes clear, sweet smelling liquid trickle down her legs he does it. Even as he fucks her she thinks of all the other things she wants to do to him - ride him, get on her knees and swallow him down as he holds her head and fucks her face, tie him down and drive him crazy, but he’s in control this time. He’s so intent on making her feel good she lets him do whatever he wants and follows his directions more than happily - bends over for him, ass high in the air, lying on her stomach with a knee drawn up so he’s sinking even deeper into her as he kisses her shoulders and spine, sitting in his lap, legs wrapped around his waist as he alternates between watching her blissed out expressions and kissing her pliant mouth as they move together. She loses track of time, forgets that time even exists, by the time he lays her down on her back and says against her lips, “one more time. Come for me one more time, baby, I want to see you...fall apart for me.”

Bonnie thinks it’s impossible; she can’t come again, he’s already wore her out. It feels like the whole time has been one long orgasm. But he begs again, kissing her deeply like it would mean the world to him if he can get her to dissolve into the sheets again. He angles his hips just so and she can’t believe it when that feeling starts to build slowly again. 

“Touch me,” she whispers and he's immediately balancing on one forearm while a hand reaches between them so he can gently rub that bundle of nerves. “Ah!” she sighs. He continues to watch her face as the painfully sweet feeling builds and builds until it finally comes crashing down, almost hurting with how good it feels, Bonnie nearly sobbing she’s such a mess, so high on ecstasy.  


“Look at me,” he says, voice shaking a little. She tries to open her eyes but she can’t all the way just yet, her lids feel so heavy. But her struggle seems to be enough. He kisses her hard as he thrusts roughly three or four more times before he pulls out quickly. He moans deeply as she feels hot ropes of his come painting her inner thighs and she feels him tense and relax, his full body weight coming to rest atop her and a moment later, adjusting so he isn’t crushing her.

She finally opens her eyes a little wider, but her vision is hazy. She can make out that the room is lighter - the sun is coming up. She rubs his back up and down with an exhuasted hand, using her nails to lightly scratch every once in a while. He moves his face against her throat every time she does and when she realizes he likes the sensation she scratches consistently. He sighs and moves a little more of his weight off of her. His palm splays wide on her stomach and he rubs his hand idly there, smoothing up her side and down the curve of her hip every few passes. 

She runs her nails gently over his scalp and he shivers slightly. Her mind starts to work again; where it was a blank before, now thoughts are trickling back. She just had the soul fucked out of her, she thinks blankly. He made her squirt. She didn’t even know that she could do that. She had never shivered, and shook, and begged like she did last night and the begging part was just an automatic response because he never left her wanting. She’s lost for words so she just lays there, caressing him as she attempts to process what just happened.

“You okay?” he grumbles into her skin and she nods her head. He lifts up to rest on an elbow and look down into her face. She knows her expression may seem impassive but all she’s thinking when he looks at him is ‘is he the devil? Is this where the term devil dick was coined from?’ Because she is hooked. Her new drug is starting down into her eyes, looking mildly amused. “You sure?”

“Mhm,” she nods, trying not to smile too broadly as she runs her fingers over his pecs and over his wide shoulders. She thinks idly of riding his face.

He smirks at her and leans down, rubbing his nose against hers. “What’s so funny?” he moves his hand down slowly, palming her, middle finger playing in her wet slit. 

Her smile turns blissful, “I’m just... happy,” she says carefully even as her eyes slide shut. 

“Is that so?” he says quietly kissing her smiling mouth softly. 

“Mhm,” she nods, laying back, thoroughly enjoying as he fingers her lazily.

“I’ve made Bonnie Bennett happy.”

“Mhmmmm,” she hums again and kisses him lushly on the lips. “Very.”

“Mmm, good,” he says, kissing her once more before moving down to kiss her chin, and that sweet spot he discovered during the night right at the base of her throat. “What else would make you happy right now?” he wonders aloud. “Maybe breakfast from that cafe I saw on the corner?”

Bonnie grins, bites her lip and says, “yeah, I think I’d like that a lot. And then maybe after a nap...” she suggests, hoping he knows she’s including him in that plan. 

“I think so too,” he says. He kisses the middle of her chest. “I gotta take a shower first.”

“Did you want company?” she asks innocently.

“Oh, always,” he says seriously before smirking. 

As Bonnie leads the way to the master bathroom and, fully aware of his eyes on her naked body, she says lightly, “You said you didn’t have plans today right?” 

—

The day is a blur of laughing, food, a few quiet moments and of course, a lot of Earth shattering sex. By the time Kai is slipping out the door for good Bonnie feels like a new person. It took three tries for them to make it to the door, each kiss goodbye turning into one of them either pressed against the wall, or the couch, or the kitchen island as they did filthy things to each other, but with one last long kiss they were finally able to say their goodbyes. 

Bonnie smiles the whole time she packs for Aspen, her mind a constant movie of the past day or so. She wants him back in her bed now, but she has a flight to catch tomorrow morning and so does he. As she changes the sheets on both the master bedroom and the guest room beds she grins as she imagines Caroline’s face when she tells her she may have taken her advice.

—

The flight is routine and easy, and Bonnie uses the six or so hours to catch up on her sleep. She packed light, only two carry ons and her purse, so she doesn’t have to wait at baggage claim. She already texted Caroline she would be arriving soon when the Pilot said they were landing and the big black car is already waiting for her outside the airport when she walks out.

The entire ride to the cabin Bonnie’s head is full of Kai. The way he makes her laugh, his pure talent, the way his body feels next to, on top of, and inside of hers. The way his eyes can go from cajoling to intense in a moment. She can suddenly taste him on her tongue and she smiles a little to herself. When they finally arrive at the huge home, Bonnie thanks the chauffeur as he takes her bags to the front door. The door which swings open immediately and reveals Caroline smiling widely.

“Bonnie!”

“Hey Care!” Bonnie hugs her friend tightly. “Oh my God, I missed you. You look so good! Where’s Stefan? Where’s Sasha?” she asks as the driver pulls out of the drive way. Caroline closes the door behind them so that they are still outside.

“Okay,” Caroline says calmly, smiling and using that soothing tone she likes to use when she’s about to tell a model they got dropped from a campaign. “So, we didn’t know.”

“Didn’t know what,” Bonnie asks, smiling, a little confused. 

“He literally got here like ten minutes before you did and - “ Bonnie’s phone goes off in her pocket and she holds up a finger as she digs it out. It’s a text from Kai.

_Kai:_ _So about that being a one time thing. How firm are we on that?’_

Bonnie grins. _It’s funny you ask. I was just rethinking those terms,_ she texts back and looks back up at Caroline. “What were you saying now?”

“What was that?” Caroline asks, eyebrow raised and Bonnie grins.

”I’ll tell you later. What were _you_ saying?“

Caroline sighs. “Just... I didn’t know ok? Neither Stefan or I knew.”

“Knew _what?”_

“That Damon was-“ the front door opens and Stefan appears. 

“Hey, Stefan,” Bonnie says and he smiles warmly. 

“Hey Bon - come in. What are you guys doing out here?”

“I was trying to tell her,” Caroline mutters and Stefan makes an ‘ah’ expression.

“Tell me wha-“

“BonBon,” Damon pokes his head out from the kitchen archway further down the hall. She feels something strange twitch in her chest when she sees him smile at her. 

Caroline rolls her eyes and grabs one of Bonnie’s bags, and Stefan grabs the other. They all make their way into the gorgeous, large chalet that Caroline insists is a ‘cute, little cabin.’

“How was your trip?” Damon asks smiling down at her before hugging her warmly. She hugs him back automatically, his familiar scent making her soften.

“It was good. How was yours?”

“It was long, but we made it.” She nods before she realizes what he said. _We_?

She hears footsteps and looks to the side to see a brunette walking down the stairs. It takes Bonnie a few moments but then she realizes she recognizes her. It’s the same exotic looking waif from the blog. She comes to stand close to Damon’s side, smiling kindly. “Bon this is Nora. Nora this is Bonnie.”

Caroline makes ‘I’m sorry’ eyes at Bonnie, and Stefan shakes his head in the background. Bonnie smiles as sweetly as she can at the girl even though she feels her nostrils flare at the audacity of it all. “Nice to meet you,” she grits out. “I’m ecstatic to be celebrating Christmas with you,” she says and she hears the edge to her own voice. “With all of you,” she covers. She clears her throat and turns to Caroline.

“Care! You said something about renovations to my room? I’d love to see them. Right now, please.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if you got the unedited version the five minutes it was up. Mercury RX things. But it’s good now, so if it had crazy typos before, it’s fixed now ☺️


	3. Mr. Brightside

“What is he doing?” The question comes out surprisingly calm in the lovely, refined bedroom that Caroline did indeed renovate beautifully. Bonnie takes off her Gianvito Rossi knee high riding style boots and walks over to the bay window that overlooks the view of the surrounding private chalets and the ski resort further in the distance.

“I legitimately think he’s a sociopath,” Caroline says as she ‘helps’ Bonnie unpack (it’s really just an excuse to ogle every one of Bonnie’s pieces. The blonde is a shopaholic who is fully aware of her addiction and gleefully denies intervention.)

“No,” Bonnie murmurs. “...maybe. That’s not what I mean, though. I mean  literally, _what_ is he doing?” She sits on the plush, comfortable bed with its pale golden blankets and lies on her back, staring at the clean, slanted architecture of the ceiling. “It’s like he’s trying to... prove something,” she ponders aloud.

“That he’s a sociopath,” Caroline confirms. “What did I tell you? He plays games and only thinks of himself...” she trails off and Bonnie looks over to see her inspecting a thick, pink sweater with the same white word repeated on an angle that she’s pulled out of Bonnie’s suitcase. “Oh my- is this the Balenciaga sweater I was trying to find?”

“Maybe?” Bonnie says. “Is it?”

“It is. Where did you find it?”

Bonnie shrugs. “Online.”

Caroline huffs. “I couldn’t find this anywhere,” she mumbles.

“I have the white with pink letters if you want to borrow it,” Bonnie offers and Caroline nods, contemplating. 

“Maybe,” Caroline says, considering the offer.

Bonnie smiles. “Anyway,” she says returning to the topic at hand. “I’m not going to let Damon mess with my mood this week. I’m having a really, _really_ good week.”

“Does it have anything to do with who you were smiling at in your phone?” Caroline asks, wasting no time.

“Maybe,” Bonnie says casually.

Caroline puts the sweater to the side and sits on the bed, legs curled to the side underneath her. “Ok, spill,” and Bonnie feels like they’re in high school again. She sits up immediately, eager to talk.

“It’s messy, Care.”

“Oh I live for mess. Tell me. I mean, we’ll deal with it. Tell me.”

Bonnie pulls out her phone to pull up a picture of Kai as she speaks. “I met him at work. He sent in his information to be in Enzo’s new pilot.” She shows Caroline his picture, the one where his eyes are intense, eyebrows thick to match his thick, short, neat beard. It’s recent, so it also shows off his broad shoulders and muscled arms in his pale gray, tight shirt.

Caroline gasps. “Bonnie! He is gorgeous! That’s what walks into your agency everyday?” She studies him. “He should actually walk into my agency. This is a great shot. He could model.”

“You think he looks good there?” Bonnie says taking her phone back. “You should see him in person.”

“He can’t look even better,” Caroline says, smirking dubiously.

“It’s ridiculous,” Bonnie confirms.

“How tall?”

“Six two.” Caroline‘s eyebrow flies up as she shoots Bonnie a wicked smile and Bonnie laughs.

“Ok, so he came in for a pilot,” Caroline confirms. “How’s that messy? Did he get it? Not get it and not know?”

Bonnie bites her lip and looks towards the door even though she knows its locked.

“No. He didn’t - it’s neither. He uh... But mind you,” she hurries to say, “I wasn’t planning on this when I called him, I swear. I’d seen him on something else.” Caroline nods urging her to continue. Bonnie is near whispering now. “You know Damon’s movie? He’s in the process for auditioning for that. He’s really close to getting that lead role, I know it.”

Caroline’s eyes widen almost comically. “No,” she whispers.

“Yes,” Bonnie hisses. “Yes and Caroline, before any of this happened I  _fought_ for him. I fought _hard_ as hell. But it was because he’s like the next freakin DiCaprio in terms of talent. He’s _really_ fucking good.” Suddenly she needs her best friend to know she wasn’t planning on any of this to happen. She flails her hand a little. “I wanted to _sign_ him ,” she says. “I _still_ do. And I’m going to probably get an email from Damon’s assistant by the New Year saying he made it to screen shots.”

“You keep saying “it” happened. What’s “it?” Bonnie’s face burns and she grins stupidly. “Bonnie Bennett,” Caroline grins, “you  didn’t .”

“What!” Bonnie bleats. “You told me to! You’re the one who gave me the idea!”

“I know!” Caroline laughs impishly. “Oh, how was it? Was it good?”

Bonnie looks up to the ceiling, shaking her head searching for the words. “It was- I’d never-“ Caroline’s eyebrows raise again and she looks impressed.

“It was that good?”

“Good isn’t the word.” She looks at her friend, still in a little disbelief. “He made my body do things I didn’t know it could do. I’m 33! I should know what,” she gestures to her body, “this can do by now.“ She shakes her head. “I’m pretty sure I’m addicted to his dick,” she says seriously. “I’ve been-“

“Oh my God, you’ve been dickmatized,” Caroline gasps in realization and Bonnie nods. 

“Oh no. No. Not with one of Damon’s actors,” Caroline puts her hands on her head. 

“I know,” Bonnie exclaims, glad that Caroline gets the gravity of the situation. “And we _tried_ , we did. We  tried not to but it’s like...we couldn't help it. It’s like... there’s some freaky gravitational pull when we’re around each other and the next thing I know I’m bent over the couch or -“

“You’ve done it more than once?”

“Technically?” Bonnie says. “It was a lot of times in about twenty four hours. Like  _a lot_ of times.”

“So what if Damon finds out?” Caroline asks, biting her bottom lip thinking hard. “I mean, fuck him, but he _is_ the one making all of the decisions and you know how weird he gets when it comes to you.”

“He has no right to feel anything.”

“Yeah, well, that doesn’t mean he won’t. He’s cray-zee” she enunciates. “I always say it, but everyone thinks I’m being dramatic because they expect crazy people to be axe murders or walking around raving about being abducted by aliens. Everyone ignores that half the people in Hollywood he‘s around are legitimately insane. But this week should show you. He wants his cake and to eat it too _while_ you  watch and wait for him to... I don’t even know what anymore. It’s not like he didn’t know you were coming. At least you wouldn’t have been a fifth wheel and could have brung someone.”

“Wouldn’t have mattered,” Bonnie waves off. “I don’t know anyone and if I were to bring anyone it would be Kai who a) I don’t know that well yet and b) is auditioning to be in Damon’s movie. Either way I was screwed on this.”

“Ugh,” Caroline says sounding disgusted. “I could kill him.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Caroline shoots her a look. “I’m serious! I don’t care that he’s with someone. All I’m thinking about besides work is Kai and I’m ok with that. More than ok. It’s the way Damon did it is what I’m wondering about,” she says. “And why. He doesn’t owe me an explanation when it comes to who he dates but communication isn’t much to ask. Pulling shit like this is just weird.”

“He communicates,” Caroline says eying one of Bonnie’s rings in a box. “In lies.”

“Well, either way I’m not going to deal with it this trip. I only have four days with you Stefan, and Sasha, and I won’t have to bring in the New Year with it so whatever.”

She’s especially glad now that she decided to head back home for New Years Eve. She actually enjoys bringing in the year in New York.

“I wish you’d stay,” Caroline says again for the dozenth time.

“Nope.” Bonnie says, lying back down and watching Caroline try on the boots she took off earlier. “I like seeing the ball drop. Those look good on you. You should wear them to dinner tonight.”

—

Bonnie spends the rest of the day in her bedroom with Sasha, insisting she will see the couples in a few hours when they will all head out to eat.

Once her goddaughter has fallen asleep to bright baby cartoons Bonnie places her in her crib, requesting the nanny keep an eye on her and asking to be told when she awakes again. Going back to her room she lies down in her own bed to take a nap before she goes out. Kai hasn’t texted her back yet, but she isn’t thinking about it. She knows he has twice as many people to contend with when he arrives in Seattle and she wonders if he’s having a good time. She thinks back to the day before, to waking up in the afternoon with his big, warm body wrapped around hers after they’d passed out after a very early breakfast of coffee, tea, and muffins. She smiles a little remembering how he kissed her shoulder once, and then twice, when he realized she was awake. She wonders how long he’d lain there awake while she slept and what he thought as he listened to her quiet breaths. Her mind supplies the warmth at her back as she slips away into a light sleep and it follows her into peaceful dreams. 

—

“Two bottles of red wine for the table, a 1914 and 1934, both Rothschild and a Dom on ice,” Stefan says to the waiter and then hesitates. He looks at Nora and then Damon. Bonnie watches impassively chewing on some bread. 

“Sorry,” Caroline says to the waiter, holding a hand up slightly. She turns to Nora and whispers loudly, “are you old enough to drink?”

Bonnie feels a deep, hearty chuckle fall from her lips and she covers her mouth barely with the tips of her fingers. She might have had a cup or two of wine before leaving. “I’m sorry,” she says to Nora, still smiling. “Of course she is, Care. Stop it.” She laughs again and says to the waiter “make it two bottles of Dom on ice, please.”

Damon looks at her oddly but she’s sure to smile back warmly, her only thought as she looks at his handsome face is how he really ain’t shit. She won’t interrogate him tonight, but she won’t hold back her automatic responses and she won’t keep a reign on Caroline.

“I’m sorry,” Caroline says, sounding sincere to anyone who doesn’t know her. “I just wanted to be sure. Damon draws attention and I won’t be pictured corrupting a near minor. It’s bad for my brand. And Sasha is right here.” Sasha yawns. 

“I’m flattered, but I’m twenty one,” Nora laughs.

“You look fabulous. Your skin is flawless,” Caroline says. “What do you use?”

Nora begins to go through her skincare routine and Bonnie looks down at her phone which has, thankfully, vibrated. 

_Kai: I was thinking about altering the terms so that there aren’t any._

Bonnie grins, cheeks flushing. So  _you like to play it fast and loose, don’t you Parker?_

_ Kai: It’s Kai. I want you to call me Kai. _

And then: _ I like how you say my name. _

She squeezes her thighs together as she remembers sighing his name as he made her tremble.

_Ok, Kai. So the new arrangement is...?_

_Kai: Whatever we want._

“Right, Bonnie?”

“Hm?” Bonnie says looking up from her phone. Caroline is looking at her again, but now so is Damon. 

“I said this is one of your favorite reds,” Caroline says. 

“Oh yes!” Bonnie says enthusiastically. “I even went to those vineyards, what was it, twice?” She doesn’t mention both times were with Damon within the time periods when they had decided to be exclusive. Both times, three weeks later on the dot, he decided that he needed ‘some space’ and was dating a model hours later. She feels her nostrils flare slightly.

“We should go this summer,” Stefan says casually. “Caroline thinks I don’t know she’s eyeing a house near the shore.”

Caroline smiles slightly. “I have no idea what he’s talking about.”

Bonnie looks back down at her phone.  _Well, what do_ you _want?_ she types and presses send.

_Kai: To see you again,_ comes the immediate response.

_So a second date?_

_Kai: A second first date,_ he types back and her heart flutters excitedly. 

_I’ve never been on two first dates. What comes with part two?_

This time she’s interrupted by the waiter bringing their wine, two reds breathing, and a bucket of ice holding the chilling champagne. She thanks the waiter when he pours her a very large glass of red and she reminds herself to tip him well; he knows the look of a woman who would rather be anywhere else but at this table right now. 

She takes a hearty drink and licks her lip delicately when she’s done. While Nora and Caroline still chat, seemingly over how flawless her goddaughter is by the looks of it, Damon leans over, looking at her tongue gather dark liquid on red lips. “Take it easy Bon. You look like you’re headed for a goal tonight.”

_Yeah, of not giving you whatever reaction it is you’re looking for with this bullshit,_ she thinks but doesn’t say. Instead she scoffs, smirking. “You worry too much,” she says lightly, making sure to sound amused. Her phone vibrates again and she looks down.

 _Kai: An actual restaurant. If you’re lucky, a pretty nice one._ She grins at that.  _I was thinking some flowers and hopefully the same amazing conversation_.  He sends a second message and she laughs again.  _I don’t insist on the flowers - I just really like how they look on my kitchen table._

She feels a pleasant warmth in her chest as she texts back.  _You know, that doesn’t sound half bad. And yea, you look like a Petunias sort of guy._

_Kai: It gets even better when we get to the second half of Date One v. 2.0, promise. And I’m firmly a self-respecting Tulip man._

She laughs aloud at that.  _For some strange reason I believe you. On both fronts._

She looks up to see Damon watching her closely. “Everything alright?” she asks him, taking another healthy sip of her wine. 

“Everything’s great,” he says casually. “Especially for you; you seem to be having a good time over there.”

“I am,” she says simply, grinning over his shoulder at the waiters bringing their food. 

“So, how long have you two been together?” Caroline asks politely, once they have been situated and she’s feeding freshly puréed peas to Sasha who waves her fat fists. 

“Not long,” Nora smiles easily, taking a bite of steak. “About six months?” she looks to Damon for confirmation.

Bonnie feels an odd smile crawl over her face as she takes a sip of wine, hoping the round, ostentatious shape hides the expression as she does the math. It’s December now, six months ago was June, and Damon came to kiss her like it meant something in October. She gulps down the tart liquid and sits theglass back down on the table.

“And he’s being good I hope,” Bonnie says, lacing her fingers together and resting her chin on them, head tilted slightly. 

“Oh, an angel so far so I’m sure he’s up to no good,” Nora grins and Bonnie laughs surprised and delighted. She likes this girl. Not that she ever disliked her. She’s naïve and sweet and she has no idea she’s with a charming fiend whose mind is a twisted maze with no end. Or maybe she does. Either way, Nora isn’t the problem. She’s being disrespected behind her back while Bonnie is getting it from both sides. She sympathizes with Nora if anything, even as she puts it firmly in the ‘not my problem’ category when it comes to enlightening her.

“As long as you know what you’re dealing with,” Bonnie winks at her playfully and hums, gesturing for the waiter. She orders another bottle for the table and a glass of water.

”What do you do?” Stefan asks Nora kindly.

”A little of everything - modeling, acting, dancing.”

”Oh, you’re lucky,” Bonnie says, sipping at her fifth glass of wine. “I didn’t get those talents. I can make a plate but,” she shrugs, “what can I do with a plate? I’d have to make so many...” she sips her wine while Stefan tilts his head puzzled and Caroline, a little tipsy herself, laughs quietly in the corner. “I didn’t get the looks or height, or the skill, or the...feet, I guess, with the dancing.” She takes one more sip and sets her glass down. “I got the brains. Not saying you’re not smart. I know you are... I think. I don’t know you, but I’m going to bet you’re smart. It would be rude to just come out the gate calling you an idiot. That’s just rude.” Bonnie shakes her head, laughing a little while Caroline sniggers. “I hate rude people. Anyway, all I can do is _see_ the talent.” She shrugs, done with her little drunken ramble and doesn’t mention that Nora doesn’t have the halo or golden ashes on her forehead. She adjusts the diamond bracelet on her wrist and fiddles with a matching earing, pondering. “It pays really well though. And I love it. Just go with what you love,” she finishes up. “Go with what makes you happy.” 

No one says anything for a moment but instead of it being awkward, it feels heavy with meaning. Nora nods at her. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Bonnie smiles and drinks some water. 

“Let me hold her, Caroline,” Bonnie says holding her arms out for Sasha. Caroline passes her daughter over and Sasha immediately goes for the tendril of Bonnie’s hair the frames her face. “Be careful, Honeybun,” she coos and she feels the hair being brushed out of her face. The wine makes it so she realizes a little too late that it is was Damon’s doing, but she doesn’t acknowledge it or him, just gives Sasha eskimo kisses that creates giggles and has pudgy hands pulling her face into a soft, powdery smelling hug.

—

There’s breakfast already being cooked and prepared when Bonnie wakes up but she’s feeling surprisingly refreshed and full of energy. She greets the cook and snags a strawberry as she walks towards the front door fully dressed. She spied a bakery yesterday on her way in and she wants to try it before she leaves the small town.

The streets are surprisingly busy for being so early the day before Christmas but she doesn't mind the atmosphere. It’s a bright, beautiful winter day and the little bustling of townsfolk adds to the upbeat, cheery feel. She breathes in crisp, fresh air deeply as she turns the corner and almost bumps into someone. “Oh I’m sorry-“ she looks up to see Damon holding two cups. The logos from the bakery she’s headed to are printed on them.

“Beat you to it,” he jokes and hands her a warm cup. She doesn’t sip it but she can smell the chocolatey goodness. She feels her eye twitch and if she were a more dramatic person she thinks she would throw the drink in his face. But this isn’t a reality show and she’s a grown woman so all she does is squint up at him and says, suspicion soaking her words, “what are you doing?”

“What do you mean?” She stares at him and the longer she does the younger he looks. She looks into his eyes until she sees the teenage boy she was enamored with since she was fifteen years old and best friends with since before they could talk properly. She looks through him and past any excuses he could make and as she does he seems to deflate.

“Damon,” she says softening her tone, letting confusion seep in. “ _What_ are you _doing_?”

“I don’t know,” he says and she shakes her head. “I’m serious. I feel like I’m sinking into this...world and I’m just...I...” She looks at him, half of her wanting to take him some place quiet and talk, the other half, the louder half, saying she’s not in the mood to hear it this time. Not right now.

She sighs. “Damon, I’m not going to say there’s nothing to talk about, but we aren't going to do it here or now. And not this weekend.”

“But-“

“No,” she says firmly, looking away. “No buts. You brought someone to talk to this week. You brought her here and you knew I’d be here.” He opens his mouth but she keeps going. “ _You_. _brought. her. here_ to prove a point. I’m not sure what that point is, but I see it for what it is. I just dont care to figure it out right now. I truly, truly don’t.” She makes direct eye contact again as she speaks steadily. “I just think it was a very selfish thing to do to her. Not to mention making our family uncomfortable while pulling some weird power play directed towards me for no discernible reason and all during fucking Christmas.”

He opens his mouth but nothing comes out and he just scratches his eyebrow.

“Yeah,” she says. “Welcome to the mood you’ve set. That’s how we all feel - almost speechless. But you know all about that, don’t you fancy Hollywood Royalty Director. About setting a mood. Well, reality check,” she hands him back the cup roughly. “We aren’t in one of your fucking movies.” Then she’s walking around him continuing down the street to the bakery. She’ll buy her own hot chocolate.

—

“So, you’re literally leaving the day after Christmas.”

“That would be today,” Kai says, walking backwards, smirking at Livvy. “I’m leaving the day  _after_ after Christmas. Or, you know, tomorrow.”

“You haven’t even seen mom yet.”

Kai turns around and continues to Josette’s heavily Christmas themed living room that holds half of his siblings. “Yeah, I know.”

“That’s cold, Kai,” Livvy says, but he doesn’t answer her. He never does. The only person who could possibly understand is Josette, and that’s because she was there with him those first few years. But she was always the more forgiving out of the two of them. He was never one to indulge in his mother’s excuses as to why she failed them both when they were defenseless.

“Yeah, well, that’s how life is,” he tells his little sister.

“Why are you running back to New York?” she mutters, dropping heavily on the forest green leather couch. “You act like you have anyone to even go back to.” The words would sting if he didn’t know that this is what she turns into when it comes time to express that she’s hurt; a snippy, mildly vile, little harpy.

“All because I’m not with anyone doesn’t mean I don’t want to go home. It’s New York not Utah. Things actually happen on New Year’s Eve over there.”

“Whatever. Not like you’ll even kiss anyone at midnight. You never have anyone. You’ve been in New York for one hundred years-“

“Three years-“

“And you’ve yet to even mention a girlfriend. Except that boring chick you told us about just to complain about how boring she was.”

“What can I say; I’m an eternal bachelor.”

“If you’re gay, just say that,” Luke says as he passes through the room to go to the kitchen.

“I wish I was at this point. I’d get more dates. Gay guys love me.” But even as he says this he pictures Bonnie in his head and focuses on the possibility of more of  her. More than just sex. Just being around her and having her energy bleed into his. 

A look must pass over his face or Josette is doing that weird telepathy thing he hates because she says, “what was that?”

“What was what?” he asks, immediately annoyed. 

“That look. You just thought about something.” 

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes you did. Your eyes did that thing.”

“What thing?”

“Do you have a girlfriend, Kai?” Josette teases and Kai feels his face flare.

“No, shut up.” God, when will they grow up?

“Kai has a girlfriend!” Joey calls to Luke in the kitchen and their youngest sibling, Mariyah, pokes her head in from the hallway.

“Does he really?” she asks brightly. “Who is it?”

“Where did you even come from?” he asks her - she’s usually holed up by herself in a room listening to her music and reading a book. 

“Right here,” she says vaguely in that way of hers. “You have a girlfriend?” she asks and sits next to him, her big, round eyes, the same exact shade of blue-grey as his, blinking curiously. Unlike his other siblings, he and Mariyah never really argued or fought. And despite Josette being his twin, he and Mariyah looked the most alike. Ever since she was a baby, she was always so calm, quiet, and observant. She had a genuinely innocent air about her that had long carved out a soft spot in his heart exactly her size and it’s still in tact twenty three years later.

“I don’t have a girlfriend, Mai,” he says to her truthfully. 

“So do you like someone?” His mouth thins and she blinks at him, smiling a little. He could never lie to her. After a minute he blurts out, “maybe. Sort of. “

“Oh, Kai has a cruuuush,” Livvy says in that voice that has always driven him crazy. His annoyance surges again as he looks at her. “Who is it?” she asks. “Do we know her? Is she famous?”

“No, she isn’t. _I’m_ not even famous.”

“You’re not famous,  yet ,” Mariyah says matter of factly. “But you will be soon. Who is it?”

“Just someone I met during auditions,” he says and then stops talking. Or tries to. Mariyah, ever curious, keeps asking questions. 

“Oh, she’s an actress too? She must be really pretty.”

Kai smiles. “She is. Really pretty, I mean.”

“I thought you said you were done dating actresses,” Luke calls from the kitchen.

“She’s not an actress.”

“So how’d you meet her at auditions?” Joey questions. “Unless...she works there. What’s the name of the agency again?”

“B something,” Livvy supplies. “I remember it started with a B.”

Kai rolls his eyes. “Shocking; you guys still haven’t learned to butt out of my business. Here I was expecting a Christmas miracle.” He watches his younger siblings try to piece together his love life. What happened to the eldest getting the most respect?

“We’re your family,” Josette says. “You’re supposed to tell us this stuff. Don’t you care about who I date?” she asks, “or Livvy or Mariyah?”

“Mariyah, definitely. The rest of you can take care of yourselves.”

“I can take care of myself too,” Mariyah says a little huffily.

“Of course you can,” Kai says absently, pulling out his phone. He checks the time. “When the hell are we going to dinner? Or making it? I’m hungry and I need a beer.”

“Bonnie!” Livvy says suddenly. “He was texting some chick named Bonnie in the car yesterday and smiling like an idiot, remember Luke?”

“Yeah,” Luke says, walking into the room and perching on the arm of the couch. He turns to Kai. “We saw it in the reflection of the window,” he explains before Kai can ask. “Is her name Bonnie?”

“Bonnie?” Jo says, brow wrinkling. “Isn’t that the name of the agency? Bonnie Bennett something something?”

“Google Bonnie Bennett,” Livvy tells Joey and he immediately begins to type the name into the computer on his lap. When the results pop up both he and Livvy whistle. “Damn Kai,” his little sister says, sounding surprised. “You’re going for the big fish, huh?”

“What’s that supposed mean?” Kai asks. Everyone except him crowds around the couch and when they look at the screen their eyebrows raise in unison.

“She’s super pretty, Kai,” Mariyah says. 

“So you move to the big apple, lift some weights, and think you can get goddesses all of sudden?” Livvy smirks, leaning over to scroll through the pictures. “Look, she’s been connected with big names too. How does she stay so lowkey? I don’t think I’ve ever even seen her.”

Kai furrows his brow. He wouldn’t be surprised if she did date anyone famous, but he’s never seen her either or really even mentioned except when it came to her agency and that was mostly through word of mouth

“These are all rumors,” Luke says squinting at the screen. “Look that one is from like sixteen years ago. And that’s from like eight... and that third is like six. And some of these are just throwbacks. How do publications even get kid photos? It’s creepy.”

“Still, she’s dated celebrities,” Livvy shrugs

“Rumored to,” Mariyah clarifies. “And these are all mostly the same guy,” she points out. She squints and Kai hears her click the mouse. “The rest just look like photo ops. Who is that though?” she asks. “He looks familiar.”

“Oh, that’s um, um!” Liv searches for the name that’s on the tip of her tongue, hand waving.

Luke beats her to it though “Oh, yum,” he says. “Damon Salvatore. She’s got great taste -“ Kai’s head whips in their direction at the name.

“What?” he says, frowning.

“She’s banging the guy who might put you in his movie,” Livvy says crassly, grabbing a candy cane from off the tree and unwrapping it. “Genius of you, to like her of all people. Really. I actually, literally expected nothing else.”

Jo looks over at Kai’s increasingly pained expression. “Give me that,” she says snatching the computer from Joey and going to sit next to Kai on the couch. He watches the screen as she scrolls. “These are really old,” she states.

“Let me see,” Kai gets out, dread circling his stomach. It has to be a thing of the distant, distant past. It _has_ to be because he did not fuck the girlfriend of the Producer _and_ Director’s movie he’s _this_ close to landing the lead in for a little under a day straight. He didn’t fuck up his future that badly. There’s no way. He’s done dumb shit before but he’s not this stupid.

Jo hands him the computer as Livvy grins and Joey looks at him curiously. Kai scrolls through the photos of Bonnie. There aren’t a whole bunch, but there are enough. Some are of her solo, looking beautiful on red carpets, others from her Instagram, the rest are professional photos from her business website. But further down he sees what his siblings were talking about. There are older pictures of her and Salvatore, one a paparazzi picture where the year is dated about fifteen years ago and the location says Amsterdam. They are holding hands as they cross the street, both wrapped in scarves and wearing boots, outfits coordinated in earthy colors. Another is of them kissing lightly in front of a cafe, location tagged as Los Angeles and dated a few years after Amsterdam. There are three photos of them looking ridiculously attractive together on a red carpet, years ago, his hand on her hip possessive, and always dressed in an impeccable suit while she always looked etheral and elegant. 

He clicks on one photo that is blurry and old. Very old; so old he wouldn’t be able to tell it was Bonnie if it weren't for those bright green eyes and the caption beneath it in tiny italicized words:  _Damon Salvatore (5) Bonnie Bennett (4)_. _Mystic Falls, Va._ She had always been a tiny thing, her loosely curly hair was a dark, golden blonde hue and up in pigtails. She’s wearing pink overalls and a blue shirt, clutching sunglasses that are too big for her face. She’s grinning widely with two missing front teeth and next to her is a boy about the same size, but a little taller, with floppy black hair and piercing blue eyes. He’s holding up a play camera to whoever is taking the actual picture while Bonnie is hamming it up with a hand on her hip.

Kai clicks the photo and it leads him to an article that talks about Salvatore’s life leading up to being one of the most quickly rising and influential Directors of his time at such a young age. The article is dated about four years ago. Another grainy picture in the article places him somewhere in his teens looking through a lens pointed towards a field and the setting sun. Standing next to him in cutoff shorts and a floral shirt tied in a knot exposing her thin midriff is Bonnie, caught unawares, hand shielding her eyes from the sun as she talks to another girl. Time has been extremely kind to her; she still looks as youthful and glowing as she does today. She looks nearly identical to how she did then when her face is makeup free. 

After that article he doesn’t see anything more recent than that, even though he goes to page sixteen on Google and Jo finally wrestles the computer away from him. “It’s not a big deal. So what if she knows him,” she says closing the top and setting it aside. “Or even dating him. You just have a crush. It’s not like you did anything with her. They don’t even look like they’re together anymore.”

Livvy sucks on her candy cane and says around it, “so why are they in Aspen together right now?”

“What?” Kai croaks.

“Go to Instagram,” she says slumped on the couch between Joey and Luke. “Or just Google their names and December of this year together. It popped up, like, two minutes ago.” Kai digs for his phone

“Which blog?”

She tells him and he types the name in. And right there, the first picture is of Bonnie and Damon Salvatore looking up into each other’s faces while they stand on a bright, snowy street corner holding coffee cups, expressions intent on each other. The next is of them sitting in a window front at a snow covered, elegant looking restaurant. They’re drinking and eating with three other people and she holds a baby. Damon is moving her hair out of her face with his fingers, almost an absent minded gesture while Bonnie holds the child, looking at it adoringly.

Kai’s mind goes blank. Their evening that seemed never ending,those amazing hours that he’s been dying to repeat and has been playing over and over in head are now steeped in worry.

Fuck. _Fuck_.

“Kai?” Josette says, looking a little worried. He looks up at her and his eyes must look wild. Politics. He said he’d wanted to stay out of politics-

“Kai?”

But he was literally face first, drowning in sweet, delicious, sinfully wet and warm politics and he didn't even know it. He and politics are literal bedfellows that blow each other’s minds. His mind flashes to how blissed outshe looked as she rode him on the kitchen floor and how good she looked bent over the back of the couch looking back at him as he-

“Kai!”

“What?” He snaps to find them all looking at him, and arousal mixed with confusion makes him feel like he’s on a drunken Carousel ride.

“Are you okay?” Jo asks him.

Livvy starts to laugh then. Low and slow at first, like the villainous bane of his existence that she’s always been. It gets louder and harder and he says “shut the fuck up, Ursula” at the same moment she cackles even louder and says,

“No, he is NOT okay. _Look_ at him.” They all turn away from her eyes watering from laughter to actually inspect him. He tries to keep his face blank but it only takes a minute before it clicks simultaneously for them all and they all groan at once, except Livvy who is still chortling and Joey who whoops in victorious laughter.

“Kai, you didn’t,” Luke says.

“You did, didn’t you? You stole a millionaire’s girl.” Joey grins like he can’t wait to give his big bro a high five.

“He did,” Livvy says, gleefully. “Kai slept with his hot casting director, who is _also_ dating his maybe, soon to be boss who is worth over two hundred million dollars and holds his entire career in his hands.” She says it loftily, leg swinging, mouth blue from her Wonka candy cane. “I’m stunned, Malachai. The things you get up to in _New York City._ No wonder you want to get back so badly.”

Chatter breaks out immediately as Kai rubs a hand over his face roughly, trying to process the fact that he’s a hair away from being blackballed all over Hollywood. He sees countless images of doors being slammed in his face.

_Damnit_. 


	4. Death of a Bachelor

Two days.  


It takes her two days to even know pictures were taken of her and posted on a blog she doesn’t follow. And by then it’s on a few more pages. Of all people it’s Stefan who lets her know by frowning as he flips his phone around and slides it towards her on the oak wood table. When her eyes get wide and her eyebrows twist in extreme dismay Caroline says “what?” and stands behind Bonnie to see. She inhales sharply and makes a noise like an annoyed cat and Bonnie stares at herself on the screen looking cozy with Damon during dinner. She swipes to see herself looking up into his eyes on the street corner where she’d questioned what was going on in his head. But this picture doesn’t capture her annoyance, but a brief moment where she seems to be wanting to genuinely understand. “Shit,” she mutters and it hits her with a sick little wave of realization why Kai has gone radio silent the night before they were both supposed to fly back into the city.

“He saw this,” she tells Caroline and the sick feeling gets stronger. He probably thinks she’s not only playing with him but also with his career. _‘I’m just not into the politics,’_ echos his voice in her head. “He saw that.” She slides Stefan back his phone and he stops it with his pinky, shaking his head as he slices bread and Sasha gurgles in her high chair.

“How do you know?” Caroline asks. “Did he say something?”

“No, but I just know.” She drags Caroline out of the kitchen and to the doors of the snow covered balcony. She pulls her outside, not caring that neither of them are wearing jackets. She closes the glass doors and Caroline opens her mouth to say something but Bonnie waves her hand. She peeks over the railing to make sure no one is underneath listening. When she’s sure she hears and sees nothing she speaks. “He specifically said he didn’t want to deal with something like this.”

Caroline looks confused. “How?” she questions. “How would that even come up? Did you tell him about you and Damon?”

“Of course not. I just know, ok. Believe me, Kai’s probably having a heart attack right now.” She thinks about the photos, pictures of Damon touching her hair without permission and giving her food she didn’t ask for all while he has a girlfriend he should be paying attention to. “Fucking Damon,” she grits out. “He thinks I’m some doll that he can just get to react how he wants, whenever he wants. _God_ , I didn’t even drink that hot chocolate! And you’re telling me they didn’t get _any_ pictures of him and his actual fucking ‘girlfriend?’ Seriously?“

“I get it,” Care says.

“You know I hate getting caught out in pap pictures.”

“I know,” her friend says, soothingly. “Calm down. Just calm down. It’s ok if he saw it. Damon doesn’t know what happened. This Kai guy won’t tell him and neither will you, right?” Bonnie shakes her head ‘no.’ “So it’s ok. It was one time. Just pretend it never happened.”

Bonnie nods even though her mind goes blank at the suggestion and she looks out onto the fresh, pristine white snow, arms folded.

“I mean...” Caroline says carefully, probing,“it was just a one night stand. It’s not like you actually like this guy...”

Bonnie nods again but still stays silent. Her mind isn’t blank anymore - now she thinks of Kai’s smile, and piercing eyes that give her goosebumps, and how even with his commanding presence he still manages to set her at ease. She thinks of the text messages in her phone with his goofy jokes and interesting takes on her random observations. The fact that she’s even comfortable enough to text him her random observations isn’t lost on her and neither is the fact that apparently he feels the same way because she gets some of his random thoughts throughout the day too. Thinking about him makes her want to smile and thinking about dropping him like a hot potato has distinct displeasure niggling at her brain.

It was supposed to be a one time thing. Just to get it out of her system. Why hasn’t her mind or emotions or whole damn ‘system’ caught up to that idea yet? _What’s taking so me long?_ she asks herself even though she thinks she already knows the answer.

“Oh...” Caroline says quietly.

“Yeah,” Bonnie says just as quietly as a gust of frosty air billows, sending her hair across her face. She tucks it behind her ear.

“Damn.” Caroline sighs

“I-“ Bonnie begins, but then Caroline is waving her hand and pulling Bonnie back from being so close to the ledge. They hear the sliding glass door open right below them and shut again. Then comes Nora’s voice.

“It doesn’t look like nothing.”

“You’re being ridiculous. She’s like my sister.” Caroline opens her mouth in disbelief, shooting Bonnie a silent look of disgust, eyes wide.

_Lies,_ she mouths silently, mildly outraged but Bonnie just listens, feeling nothing but curiosity.

“Oh, fuck off with that. I don’t look at any of my family members like that,” Nora says sharply. Then begrudgingly, “You always look at her like that.”

“Nore,” Damon sighs and he has the nerve to sound tired. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You don’t?”

“No, I don’t. I’ve known her since I was a kid. We grew up together-“ his tone of voice is giving Bonnie jolting sensations of deja vu. 

“You used to date.”

“‘Used to’ being the operative words, here.”

“So there was something there?”

“Once upon a time, yeah. Years ago. I don’t feel that way about her now.” Oddly Bonnie doesn’t feel the disdain Caroline is expressing silently. She doesn’t feel anything, doesn’t think anything except to wonder if he’s telling the truth.

“Why did you bring me here Damon?” Nora sounds fed up.

“To spend time with you-“

“No,” she cuts him off and Bonnie cheers a bit inside. _Keep that foot on his neck,_ she thinks. She’s doing better with his attempts to manipulate her than Bonnie did at that age and she can appreciate it. “Why did you bring me here to watch you watch another woman out of the corner of your eye?” 

“I didn’t-“

“A woman who doesn’t even seem to want to give you the time of day. Unless she was being modest and actually is a really good actress.” Damon says nothing to this. “Did you bring me here to make her jealous?”

“Stop being ridiculous,” Damon sounds agitated. “I brought you here because I like you and I know you like to ski. Is that not enough? You’re going to let some damn paparazzi pictures ruin the good time we’ve been having? Really?”

Nora says nothing and Bonnie and Caroline don’t move a muscle. “No,” they hear her say finally. “I’m not. I’m going to let what I’ve been noticing for the past few days do that. It’s a different story when the expressions on your face are the same after the camera is gone. But you thought ‘twenty-one and dumb’ didn’t you? Sorry to disappoint.” They hear the glass door slide open. “And if you were paying any _real_ attention to me you’d notice that I’m _not_ having a good time. Being toyed with isn’t my idea of fun.” The door slides shut again and Bonnie and Caroline look at each other, eyes wide. They listen for a few moments longer and hear the crunching of snow. The sound gets further away and they eventually see Damon walking away from the chalet, probably to go think to himself how he couldn’t use his money, fame, or charm to gaslight someone over ten years his junior.

Bonnie quietly opens the balcony door and they both creep back inside, shutting it softly behind them. They go to Sasha’s nursery which is empty while Stefan spends time with her in the kitchen, eating his sandwich and feeding her applesauce.

“Well I was right,” Bonnie mutters. “She isn’t an idiot.” She runs both of her hands through her hair and clasps them at the back of her neck.

“Good for her,” Caroline sounds proud.

“Yeah,” Bonnie says, distractedly. “Good for her, but I feel like I’m going to be in Damon’s position pretty soon.” She’s really dreading talking to Kai now. Because she has to talk to him - it’s not like they won’t see each other again - she’s positive he’ll be on callbacks. And even if he weren’t she wouldn’t feel right just leaving him with the impression that she would put him in this situation and then throw him away without a word. “I just have to end it,” she says firmly, deciding. “We were going to go on a second date. He called it a second first date,” her laugh is hollow and nothing feels funny right now. “But I’m just going to stop before I end up getting him blacklisted.”

“Oh, Bonnie.”

“You know he’ll try,” Bonnie says. As charming as he is Bonnie knows there’s a casually vindictive side of Damon that makes its appearance in insidious, throw away statements. An “I personally wouldn’t,” or a “not my first pick, but it’s your choice” from him in just the right tone can shut things down fast. She’s personally seen his words, spoken genuinely and mildly (“hard to work with”) cause a Producer to pass on that person with no hesitation. Sometimes she wishes it were ugly and obvious the way he does things, but he’s always known the brevity of his words. She imagines him throwing those words out dismissively of Kai and shakes her head. “I’ll just - I’ll explain and apologize,” she says calmly. “I’ll tell Kai sorry and hope to God he doesn’t tell anyone who will listen about how unprofessional I am. And Damon won’t find out and it’ll be fine.”

Caroline nods even though her mouth is twisted to the side in sympathy. “You’re starting to like him aren’t you?”

Bonnie moves to slide down the nursery wall decorated with bursting paintings of delicate golden butterflies and sits on the soft white carpet.“Does it matter?”

“When you’ve been toyed with for years, haven’t had a date in God knows how long, living in New York City while in your thirties  and still wanting to have a family while working eighty hours a week? Yeah, I think it matters. Finding someone you like _really_ matters.” Caroline crosses the room to sit next to her friend. “You _never_ like anyone Bon. Not like that.”

“Yeah I know. I like that about myself. It makes things easier.”

Caroline is still looking at her with that sad little expression. “I’m sorry,” she says quietly.

“It’s not your fault,” Bonnie says.

“I know, I just...” Caroline makes a frustrated face. “You like him. Or you're starting to. And that in itself is really good and I hate that it’s like this.” She hugs Bonnie around the shoulders. “I just want you to be happy.”

Bonnie smiles at her and is surprised to feel her eyes burning. Caroline sways into her a little. “ _And,_ it’s selfish, but I want you to have a baby.” Bonnie gives a watery, surprised laugh and swipes roughly at her eyes. “Sasha needs a best friend. I want my babies and your babies to be close like how we were. We gotta get you caught up,” she shakes Bonnie’s knee gently, half-kidding. “I hate that Damon’s been wasting your time.” She sighs. “And I hate how he’s ruining this for you now and he doesn’t even know it.”

“I can’t even blame him,” Bonnie says. “Not for this. I did this, with Kai.” She breathes out a long breath. “And I have to take care of it. I don’t want to, but I have to just...”

“Oh, honey.”

“It’s fine,” Bonnie says. “I’m fine. It’s not a big deal.” And it really isn’t. _It was just a one time thing,_ she thinks to rally herself, letting go of the idea that was starting to bud in her mind that she and Kai could ever have anything more than what already happened. She ignores that sinking feeling and Caroline’s eyes. “When I get back home I’ll just tell him and that’ll be that and we can all pretend it didn’t happen.”

—

Another reaon she likes to avoid being around Damon (besides the obvious) is because of the attention he brings and she used to hate (and still does) when it falls on her. She could never stand the red carpet and the paparazzi photos always made her feel violated. That old creeping sensation of being watched has been clinging to her since she saw those pictures and as she pulls up to her apartment building to see a small group of photogs lounging out front the feeling spikes when she immediately knows that they are waiting for her.

“Once more around the block, please, I’m sorry,” she asks the driver so she can compose herself.

The minute she steps out the car lights go off in her face and the old PR training she’s picked up on during her time in this business kicks in. She keeps her face pleasantly neutral.

“Bonnie,” something startles in her at the sound of her name from a stranger’s lips, like he knows her, but she doesn’t show it. “How was your romantic getaway with Damon Salvatore?” the short, pudgy man asks, poking. 

Bonnie laughs gracefully as she steps onto the curb. “Your idea of romantic is different from mine,” she trills kindly. 

“Trouble in paradise?” the antagonistic man says. 

She shakes her head. “Mr. Salvatore has a new project coming out. I am casting for him.” 

“So it wasn’t romantic?” 

She pauses to speak to them, pretending to consider the question. “It was beneficial. We were able to look at locations, talk shop about leads, and visit with our family and friends all at once. As I’m sure you know,” she begins walking again, “we grew up together.”

“What about him stroking your face?” _This fucking guy._  


She smiles sweetly as she dies inside. “Are you referring to him kindly removing my hair from mygoddaughter and his niece’s clutches? I don’t know if you know but once ababy gets a hold of a strand the follicle is gone,” she laughs and so do most of the paparazzi. “The Aspen paps need to be more adept,” she says carelessly, finally at the front door of her building. She nods hello to Howard, the doorman. “Can you help me with these bags please, Howard?” she gestures towards the car and he nods. She turns towards the photographers thinking quickly and smiles, continuing. “They took absolutely _no_ pictures of Mr. Salvatore and his actual partner, Nora Hildegard; a lovely and very smart young woman.” It’s just interesting enough to throw them off her scent a little and doubles as exposure for Nora who is obviously aspiring for some notoriety.

Howard taps her elbow, signaling that her bags are safetly inside. “Near the elevator, ma’m.”

“Thank you,” she says graciously. “I really have to go now.” She waves to the photographers who still snap a couple of pictures of her turning away but not nearly as many as before. “Have a good evening,” she calls over her shoulder sure to keep her stride casually elegant and unbothered. She walks into the building and proceeds to roll her eyes so hard she thinks they may get stuck that way.

She ducks out of the view of the windows and waves to Howard. She digs through her purse and hands him a twenty for his help with the bags, thinks, and hands him twenty more. “Remember my friend from the other night?”

“Yes, ma’m,” the older gentleman says. 

“What have I told you Howard, it’s Bonnie. Listen, I’m pretty sure he’s stopping by later. Please, on the off chance they try, don’t let them say a word to him. Not even a hello. Not a picture. Anything.”

“I gotcha,” he winks at her and straightens up going back to the door.

_I’m home._ She types as she walks towards her bags sitting in front of the elevator. _Can you come over so we can talk? Please._

_Kai: Yeah_

She wrinkles her nose at the short answer.

_If there are photographers still here just ignore them._ The minute she sends it she hates how it sounds. And he must too because she doesn’t get a text back

“Shit,” she says under her breath as she waits for the box to descend.

—

Kai sits in his Jeep in front of Bonnie’s apartment building for at least half an hour after he arrives.  


He’s thinking. 

He knows he’s going to go up there. He knows that they’re going to ‘have a talk,’ but what he _doesn’t_ know is how it will go. He has no idea what she’ll say and he knows the only way to figure out is to actually _go_ _up_ but he’s stuck. He’s stuck between feeling angry in general, anxious, stressed and lingering confusion because underneath all of that is _still_ this tickle of excitement at the base of his skull he feels at the fact that he’s seeing her again. Even with the situation being what it is, he still wants to see her. It’s like he was pre-programmed to self destruct. 

There are photographers, just two who have been hanging out, looking bored and playing with their phones as they occasionally scan their surroundings. He watches the sky turn from blue to purple and he breathes out heavily before he finally gets out of his truck, locks it, and shoves his hands in his pockets as he crosses the street. The two photogs look up at him briefly as he comes up on the building and the man looks back down at his phone, but the female’s head tilts slightly as if she recognizes him but doesn’t know from where. He ducks his head and speeds up minutely. He sees her raise her camera just as he nears the door but just before she presses the button the doorman is stepping forward smoothly, as if he’s holding his hand out to say ‘welcome.’ His body clearly blocks her shot as the shutter goes off and Kai hears her curse underneath her breath while the man next to her says, “that wasn’t even him. Wastin’ film.”

“I know but-“ he hears the woman start to respond but he’s in the building already and out of view.

“Thanks,” he says lowly to the doorman and he simply nods. 

—

“Hey,” Bonnie says when she opens the door. She looks fresh faced and impassive but he can almost feel the anxiety coming off of her.

“Hey,” he says, feeling a little awkward.

“Come in,” she steps to the side. After locking the door behind him she walks towards the kitchen. He follows behind, trying not to pay attention to how soft and touchable she looks in a white T-shirt that’s a little baggy and very short, pink silken shorts. Her long, healthy hair is in a long, slicked ponytail, thick glossy strands swaying in time with her hips. He can smell her soap and lotion mix again and his mouth gets a little dry. He clears his throat.

“Want some water?”

“Sure. I mean, please.”

She goes to grab a glass and takes a clear jug of water from the fridge.

“How was your visit home?” she asks pouring him a cup.

“Good. Thanks,” she hands him the water and he drinks some before continuing. “I, uh... it was interesting. How was yours?”

“It was okay,” she says looking down at the white and creme’ swirled marble. The awkward tension builds - he doesn’t know how to start. Should he start? Should she? She still doesn't speak and he drinks more water. He can literally hear his wristwatch ticking and he feels unbearably antsy.

Looks like he’s starting because he can’t take this either. “So. You and Damon Salvatore, huh?”

“It’s not what it looks like,” she says immediately.

“It’s not?” he asks,incredulously

“No.”

“Then what is it?”

“It’s nothing. It _was_ something, but a long time ago. And now it’s _really_ nothing.”

“Yeah a long, _long_ time ago,” Kai says, agitated. “Courtesy of a blog and my entire family I got to discover that you two have been involved since you were, what, eighteen? Before? High school sweethearts and you’ve been in each others pockets practically since birth. Hell of a thing not to mention when a guy asks you out for a second date.”

“We aren’t involved now,” she says. “Not really.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s complicated and a _huge_ part of that is _because_ it’s nothing.” She’s talking in circles and he feels his agitation spike. This is getting him nowhere and fast so he tries another line of questioning.

“Why didn’t you tell me? And don’t say because it’s nothing because that obviously isn’t the case.”

“It is the case though,” she insists. “I didn’t think it was important...” Bonnie says and Kai shakes his head disbelievingly. “I just mean, I didn’t think it would matter?”

“How would that not matter? In _what_ world would that be information I _don’t_ need to know when we had sex _after_ I auditioned with _you_ to be in _his_ movie? Especially when I told you I don’t like how fucked this industry is.” He shakes his head trying desperately to understand. He feels like he missed something. “I don’t get it. Is it because you know I’m not going to get the part so it doesn’t matter?”

“No,” Bonnie says hurriedly. “No. I’ve been pushing for you to get it. He knows you’re my top choice and,” she rushes to say “this was before I ever even thought about... doing anything with you.”

“So, you think I’m going to get it?” he repeats.

“I think you’ll make it to screenshots. I never know for sure what he’ll do, but we all agree at the agency that he’d be crazy to pick anyone else.”

“So when you saw me in that bar you anticipated me working with him? Or at least meeting, him?”  he confirms and Bonnie looks away and nods reluctantly. “And you still- We still- You invited me over knowing how you two feel about each other?”

“I don’t feel any way about him anymore.” Kai makes a dubious noise. “I don’t. And I don’t know what he’s thinking or feeling, but it’s not my problem.”

“But he’s interested? By the sound of it you think he still is.” She shrugs one shoulder and he says in a hard voice, “that’s worse. If what you’re saying is true then I have to deal with a _delusional_ Director finding out I slept with his girlfriend.”

“I’m not his girlfriend.”

“Yeah, I heard you,” he bites out.

“Listen, we can just not do this anymore,” she says decisively. “No one knows. We can just stop it here and it will just end at that night and won’t turn into this huge deal,” she says

His mind immediately and vehemently rejects the idea even as he runs a hand through his hair and says faintly, “yeah, yeah. That’s true.”

Bonnie nods but she doesn’t look pleased or relieved at his agreeableness. He feels like he can read her like a book - she’s attempting to appear nuetral but dismay peaks through the cracks as he studies her closely. She begins to bite her lip but stops. “Yeah...” her voice is a little strained and she looks away again. He could be wrong but he’s getting the feeling that this isn’t her first choice either. 

_It can’t be either of our first choice_ , he thinks. Because this conversation could have been a lot shorter and been done over the phone if that were the case. Yet here they are.

“When was the last time you were involved with him before I auditioned?” he asks, telling himself it’s just to see how screwed he could be.

“...Define involved,” Bonnie says slowly, grimacing, and Kai glares at her. She throws up her hands. “I wasn't. I haven’t been for the longest time. I hadn’t even seen him for over five years before he asked me to do this!” Kai starts to calm down a tad at this, but then she says lowly, “but he came to town and we kissed three days before you walked in. But it was nothing. It literally meant nothing-“

“So it’s nothing.” He repeats. “Then you kiss him and it means nothing. And then you went on vacation with him for Christmas for nothing?” 

“Well, yeah. Basically. His brother is married to my best friend. She’s really like my sister. We all, the four of us, we all grew up together so it was like a family thing. And I hadn’t even celebrated with them the past three years, and the two before that Damon _didn’t_ go and that’s why I actually went. And he brought someone else this time, like a girlfriend, which was weird but whatever.” She sighs. “It was sort of confusing.”

“Sort of?” he laughs humorlessly. “Bonnie... I told you before-“ he remembers hiking up her skirt in the bar bathroom - “or during-“ another flash of looking down to see her stroking him. He pauses and tries again. “I told you in enough time that I didn’t want to deal with the this sort of stuff when it came to work.”

“Yeah, well you still did,” she snaps back a little. “You knew what my job was and I wasn’t doing all of that,” her cheeks get a little pink, “by myself. You were very, very, _very_ involved.”

A memory of kissing her on this very counter, both of her hands holding his face while she pulled him closer with bare heels to the back of his thigh and knee shimmers in his mind but he dispells it with a blink. Or tries to. He tries to pay attention to the situation at hand. “Yeah, but I thought it stopped at you,” he says,gesticulating, remembering why he’s upset. “You think I would have- We would have- If I knew that my potential _Director_ , _Damon fucking Salvatore_ , thinks he has some claim to you? As fucking beautiful, and smart, and powerful as you are, do you think I would have risked trying to be with you?” He doesn’t mention that he would have still seriously contemplated it even if he never acted on it.

“He doesn’t have any claim to me,” she insists and then she flares up, suddenly and unexpectedly. “He’s a narcissistic asshole who I’ve known my whole life. Yeah, we were close. Yeah, we even dated, but he’s lied to me. I’m _pretty_ sure he’s cheated on me. He makes promises he doesn’t intend to keep and he just does what he wants. And I just kept getting stuck in easy, old routines.” She seems like she’s reached the end of her rope as she rants and paces in front of the fridge. “I’m over it. I’ve _been_ over it. I pulled out of being seriously emotionally involved before he blew the fuck up for being dubbed a “prodigy” and _thank God_ I did.” She shakes her head. “He’s so damn delusional sometimes.” 

Kai watches her and seeing her so annoyed and distressed has his own anger dying down. He sighs and when he speaks a lot of the fire is gone. “Delusional or not, Bonnie, one word from him and I’m screwed. If he finds out-“

“He won’t.”

“Won’t he?” He thinks about her earlier solution. The obvious solution. If they stopped right now then this could just be something that just happened and he got away with scot-free by some miracle. But there’s the little issue of his brain refusing to connect the idea with the fact that that would entail not seeing Bonnie again. With that option it means keeping his distance forever or until Salvatore really realizes that Bonnie isn’t his in that capacity. And if he’s really how she describes, after fifteen years it doesn’t seem likely to happen any time soon.

“He won’t,” she says having calmed a little. “He definitely won’t if we just stop right now.”

“And what if we don’t?” falls from his lips almost defiantly and he’s surprised. She seems to be too because she looks at him, eyes questioning and finally, slowly, starts to walk over to him, bare feet quiet on the marble tiles.

“We can be mindful,” she says carefully, getting closer until she’s right in front of him so he towers over her; she begins fiddling with the zipper on his leather jacket. “I mean, if you don’t want to... stop... seeing each other. Before Aspen it wouldn’t have been a big deal to be seen together - no one knows who I am. Or no one knew. And they’ll forget again soon. Photographers might be on my ass for a week or two,” she throws out, “but we can work it out.”

“How?” he asks, feeling even more of his anger slowly draining away with her proximity. Her tight ponytail glimmers underneath the kitchen lights and his fingers find the thick ends that stop midway down her back. He plays with them idly as he looks down at her

“I arrive first, you leave first, private rooms in resturants, pay the doormen,” she rambles off as her fingers walk up his stomach absentmindedly.

“Have you done this before?”

“No,” she says shrugging looking up at him. “But I’ve kept...interesting company.” He quirks an eyebrow. “I have famous friends,” she elaborates. “I have clients that like their privacy. There are ways to keep your privacy and sanity in this business. I was a socialite for a long time, even while running my business, and there are barely any pictures of me for a reason. I don’t like the spotlight.”

Kai considers this. “So you’re saying we sneak around?” She continues to look up at him, searching his expression. He feels an indescribable feeling building up as he looks down at her. He needs to be more upset, but he can’t be with those slanted green eyes looking into his. He thinks vaguely that he’s going to have to find a way around this fact. She can’t just _look_ at him and he acquiesces to things.

“Just for a while,” she says, hope tinting the edge of her words

“How long is a while?” he asks quietly, still playing with her hair. “Because, I hate to say it, but you’re making it sound like it’s only two weeks when you’ve been saying I’ve pretty much made it to screenshots. If I get past that, if I get this role, I’m going to be working with him for how long? A year? Maybe longer? And the publicity... with his name attached to this, it’ll start before I even get on screen. Once the cast has been announced a lot more people are going to be following me around, snapping pictures before I even set foot on set. That’s that spotlight you don’t like, Bonnie.”

Bonnie looks down now, biting the inside of her cheek. The silence draws on and she starts to play with his zipper again. “I’m sorry,” she says finally, voice small and Kai’s heart squeezes, a thrill running through him at the shakiness he hears. He tilts her head up with his knuckle and sees that her eyes are slightly glassy.

“Hey, hey,” he says quietly, cupping her face. “What’s wrong?”

“I fucked up,” she sniffs and he stops a couple of tears with his thumbs before they can slide down her cheek. “I fucked this up for us. Almost ruined it for you. God, I _hate_ that I could have fucked this up for you. I just- I wasn’t thinking. I literally just wasn’t thinking. I wasn’t thinking about Damon trying to mess with my emotions for once and I just wanted to focus on _me_. I was being selfish, and I saw you at the bar, and I just-“ she shakes her head and pulls away from him but he pulls her back gently.

“Keep talking to me,” he urges her in the same calming tone, resting his hand on her shoulder and stroking her collarbone with his thumb absently.

“I just- I didn’t think I’d actually _like_ your _brain_ ,” she exclaims and he laughs a little at that, surprised. “I just knew you had so much talent, and your eyes were so sexy, and you were _gorgeous_ ,” he laughs again and she lets out a little watery sound as well. “I saw you and basically said ‘that looks fun, I’ll ride that.’” That indescribable feeling wells up again, and he tries to identify it. It’s warmth, mixed with amusement and deep fondness. Her little smile drops and she looks disappointed in herself again. “I mean, I hadn’t even had sex for years before that. And I go and pick up someone whose career I could ruin from the ground up when he’s so close to getting what he wants. It was just supposed to be a one night thing...” She looks up at him, eyes still glittering, “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I just wasn’t thinking.”

He was right; she is one of those people who looks really pretty when they cry. He sighs, knowing he’s lost and she looks away.

“But you’re right,” she wipes her eyes quickly, composing herself. “To ask you to do that, to sneak around and hide, and for an undetermined amount of time, it isn’t fair.” She pulls away completely and goes to stand at the other end of the kitchen island again. He faces her, leaning on his forearms, hands folded, staring. From what it sounds like Salvatore has been playing with her for a while, and Bonnie has been trying to avoid it. It even sounds like she’s mostly been successful at it. Mostly. It sounds like she really is tired of him. 

But he could still be blackballed. No matter if it was before the movie, or after, or even during. At any time Salvatore could find out and he could decide to put Kai out of commission.

He studies Bonnie in her baggy shirt and tight pink silk shorts, admires the way the cut accentuates her hips and the smooth expanse of her thick thighs. She glows underneath the lighting, caramel skin flawless and her expression is still fixed in disappointment. She’s looking down at the marble of the counter top and picking at the corner, not saying anything. Yeah, he’s got to find a way around how striking she is to him. One day. Eventually. Maybe.

He ponders on her words. She hadn't had sex with anyone for years before him... Was it because she had been too busy to date? Or because she was picky? Or she was secretly pining for Salvatore still, somewhere in there? The last thought makes his mouth thin out and he realizes he doesn’t want her to feel anything like that for the other man. Friendship fine, but anything deeper might twist him in a knot. 

_Ah_ , he thinks, that’s what a big part of that indescribable feeling is - a pure, baseline, territorial response. Because at this point why not just appeal to one of the most basic animal instincts in him. She’s going to have him wrapped all around her finger, he just knows it, and he should be dreading it more. 

“Do you have feelings for him?” he asks her and she shakes her head. “How do you feel about him?”

She shrugs. “At this point I feel sorry for him. I feel tired of him. When I started this I was excited to cast for him because he’s a huge name and it would give me a lot of new business. It’d push me further to the top of my field. But now I just want it to be over and done with.”

He looks at her for a couple of minutes longer. She technically hasn’t lied, he thinks. Maybe she really did intend for this to be a one night stand that is inevitably, against their control, turning into something else. Something neither one of them can just walk away from even though it should be so easy to do this early on in the game. He considers the very real and very true fact that it’s hard for him because he flat out lied to himself when he said it was just to get it out of their systems. He’d known from the bar that he’d want more. He’d known before then, when he saw her that first day, that if he ever got a chance with her he wasn’t planning on seeing her only once.

He sighs and rises up to walk around the corner of the island to sit on a stool. “Come here,” he says gruffly, but not unkindly. 

She walks over and stands in front of him, still at a distance. He sighs again, dramatically, leans forward slightly, and takes her hand to pull her closer to stand between his legs. He wraps his arms loosely around her waist. “What are we going to do now?” he asks her resigned to his emotional fate. 

“I don’t know,” she says, picking at invisible lint on his shirt. “It doesn’t really matter what I want. It’s what you want to do. I’m the one responsible for this... mess.”

She keeps her eyes somewhere on his throat and his mind churns. He wants to see her still. He wants to know her. He wants to know what she likes and what she dislikes. He wants to know what she believes in. He wants to know how to make her happy. He wants to, if things go well, eventually call her his. He feels that tickle at the base of his skull again, excitement trickling through him at the thought of Bonnie being his and his only. 

But he wants his dream to come true. He’s gone this long, doing things his way with no drama that has stuck and he doesn’t want to start making tidal waves now. Not like this. Not ever, but especially not when he’s so close...

Her eyes flit up to his sensing him assessing her and she looks away quickly. His stomach does that heavy flip.

“It matters. What you want matters. Look at me,” he says quietly and she does. “Do you want anything else from this?”

“Yes,” she whispers.

“What do you want?” he asks softly.

“More,” she says right away. “Just... more. I want to know who you are.” She smirks a little. “I want to know Malachai Parker before he becomes a superstar,” she jokes half-heartedly. He pulls her closer and she looks at his mouth. “I want you, more of you...”

He kisses her open mouth and she places her soft palm on his face. A peaceful feeling shrouds him as her tongue slides against his slowly. He kisses her like he’s been wanting to since he left her that night, long and leisurely, savoring her taste. “What am I going to do with you?” he murmurs, kissing the corner of her lips. “Hm?” Another lingering kiss. “Please don’t ever do something like this again.” He kisses her cheek breathing in her clean, faintly expensive scent.

“I won’t, I promise. I’m sorry,” she sighs again, sliding her arm around his waist underneath his jacket, her other hand still resting lightly on his face.

He hugs her fully, resting his cheek on her shoulder, his face nestled in the crook of her neck and she slides her fingers into his hair, scratching his scalp slightly. Goosebumps run over his skin at the sensation. “It’s ok.” He’s not sure he believes it, but right now, in this moment, he realizes he can’t just walk away like he usually would from a situation like this. A small part of him still acknowledges that it’s probably the best route, but it’s over ridden by an instinctual gut feeling that tells him to stay near her. He’s felt pale shades of this over the years with a couple of women but something about this settles on a different level. Deeper and closer to his foundation. He likes this feeling - he wants more of it.

They stay like that for a long time, matching each others breaths and embracing the feeling he thinks is the calm before the storm. Finally he lifts his head. “Well, this makes things complicated - I was going to ask you out for New Year’s.”

“You still can.”

“The biggest party night of the year in arguably the most famous city in the world? There’s paparazzi crawling around on the 31st. Literally everywhere. And you’re in their sights right now.”

“I got this,” she says confidently.

“Do you?” he mumurs brushing her cheek with his thumb, just to feel the soft skin there. He kisses the corner of her mouth again because he can and she smiles, humming happily.

“Mhm, I do,” she purrs, kissing him fully, playfully, then backing away a little. “We’ll have fun.” She gives him another peck. “I promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What could go wrong?


	5. Night and Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut (lite?)

She gazes at him, studying his face as he holds her. The happiness at his decision that she feels is surprisingly deep but precarious. 

Bonnie can’t believe he’s here still. She was sure he would have taken the out she’d provided him and run with it, but here he is, in her kitchen, arms resting around her waist like they’ve always been there. She stares at him, studies him for so long he starts to look mildly amused, but she can’t figure it out. Why would he stay? It’s risky for his career, and she wishes that she could leave ‘Business Bonnie’ at the office, but she can’t. A little niggle of something, guilt maybe, begins to gnaw at her. 

His hand reaches up and he uses his thumb to gently pull her bottom lip from between her teeth. “What’s wrong?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“About us trying this, I mean. About making this into... something?” she clarifies.

“Yes.”

“I don’t want a fling.”

“I don’t either,” he says evenly, searching her expression. “Is that what you think I want?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugs. “I don’t want-“ she doesn’t want to come on too strong is the fact of it. She doesn’t know how to navigate this. “I just-“ Kai waits patiently. _Just tell him the truth._ “I don’t want to put any pressure on you. I’ve never felt something like this so quickly.” _That makes it sound like you love him. Shit._ “I mean-“ she flounders.

“I get it,” he says.

“Do you?” He nods, eyes fixed on her own. “Is that because you literally understand what I’m saying or because you...feel the same way?”

“Because I feel the same way.” He pulls her closer and tugs her lip loose again. “I like you, Bonnie,” he chuckles a little,almost to himself. “Believe me.”

And the way he says it, the way his voice drops a little lower, and his eyes run over her face, expression soft, makes Bonnie believes him. The tension begins to leave her body and when he pulls her into a comforting hug the rest seeps out.

When she pulls back she feels better and begins to play with the soft short hairs on the back of his neck. “I know we were supposed to do a ‘second first date’ this time, but that’s a bust.” His large hands have strayed to rub her hips, running his palms up and down the generous curves and the unconscious movement soothes her further. “But we can still have dinner. What do you want to eat?”

He accepts her change of subject easily. “I don’t know - what do you have that we can throw together?”

“You can cook?” she asks, a little surprised. She moves away from his warm touch to go rummage around the refrigerator.

“‘If I can cook,’ she asks. I’m the oldest of six beasts,” he says good-naturedly , getting up to take off his jacket. “Of course, I can cook.”

“Well, that’s _great_ to know but,” she checks the freezer, “I need to go grocery shopping. I’ve been so busy lately that I’ve been grabbing whatever, whenever, and I didn’t go before leaving town.” She sighs. “There’s zilch.”

“Take out?” he suggests.

“I really don’t want to, but I guess it’ll have to do.” She looks at the menus on the fridge, hands on her hips contemplating.

“Isn’t there a Whole Foods two blocks away?”

“Yeah,” she says, absently, fingering a menu for an Italian restaurant nearby.

“Then I’ll just go and grab some stuff.”

“You don’t have to. I can-“ then she remembers the photographers this afternoon and she pauses.

“It’s fine, I’ll go. Besides, we just had our first fight.” He puts his jacket back on and grabs his keys. He kisses her on the cheek. “Let’s cool off; we’ll cook, unwind,” he grazes his nose against hers, smiling a little. “I’ll grab wine,” he says in a singsong voice, as if she needs much convincing.

She nods ‘ok,’ a fierce feeling of gratitude and affection welling up in her at his words. Before she can talk herself out of it she tugs on his jacket before he can fully turn away. “Hey,” she says shooting for nonchalant, “they said it’s supposed to get really bad out tonight.”

“Yeah,” he says looking out of the window at the darkened sky. “I don’t think it’s started yet, though.”

“I know. But it will, soon.” The nerves are coming back and she’s not sure why. It’s not like they haven’t spent the night together before, but this feels... different this time. Like it’s a big deal. _Maybe because it is?_ “Since you’re going to be out already maybe you should grab some stuff. From your place? If you wanted to.”

He smirks at her now and pulls her close with a hand on her waist. “Stuff like what?”

She shrugs one shoulder, allowing herself to be drawn into his warmth. “Like clothes. And... other things you might need.“

His smirk deepens. “Since I’m already going two blocks away for groceries, you think I should run to Brooklyn for clothes too?” he confirms.

She nods, feeling awkward. What if he thinks that’s moving too fast? It’s hard with him - time seems to move differently when he’s involved. But she can admit to herself that she missed him, more than she probably should have, considering. She doesn’t want him to go after dinner.

“Bonnie,” he says softly, a laugh touching the edges of his words.

“Hm?”

“Are you asking me to spend the night?”

“Yeah,” she looks up to see him smiling slightly. His eyes are glittering with something playful and she blushes, her mouth curling into a smirk too. “What?”

“You’re so fucking cute, you know that.” She blushes harder.

“Is that a yes?”

He attempts to fix his expression to one of seriousness, but the smile still peeks through. “Yes. It’s a yes.” Relief floods through her body as he checks his watch. “Traffic shouldn’t be that bad right now. Let me head over there. What’d you want for dinner?”

“Surprise me.”

He grins and kisses her forehead. “I’ll be right back.”

As soon as he’s gone Bonnie looks around and decides Kai’s right. They need to just relax and enjoy each other tonight. She heads towards the linen closet intending to make the place a little more comfortable in anticipation of snuggling down while the cold weather starts waging its war on the city outside.

—

By the time Kai gets back with a duffle and grocery bags the freezing rain has started to fall heavily.

“Oh,” Kai looks around as he steps in, hair sticking to his head, shivering a little. “It got cozier in here.”

“I thought about what you said.” Bonnie says. “And you’re right. We just need to relax. My nerves need a rest.” She’s dimmed the lights and brought out her thick, soft knit blankets in shades of deep ocean blue and forest green to rest on the couch. There are a few extra pillows as well and she’s turned the temperature up, so where it was cool and icy earlier during their argument, it’s now perfectly warm. A couple of fat, white candles are lit and while he was gone she’d found some brownie mix and whipped it up so the faint, intoxicating smell of chocolate lingers in the air. She’s also changed; now she wears a pair of red satin pajamas and refuses to feel embarrassed at her oversized panda slippers nor her hair which she’s taken down from that tight ponytail and now flows freely, big loose curls starting to come back. “What’d you get?” she asks peaking in the bags as she takes a few from him. It’s more than she expected.

While he was gone the sitter dropped by to bring Blueberry back home and he’s padded over to sniff all around Kai’s feet and the bags the moment he came through the door. After deeming him acceptable, he licks the back of Kai’s hand and ambles off to lay in his plush doggy bed in the corner of the living room.

“Uh,” he’s looking around and looking at her as if a little dazed. She blinks.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he clears his throat. “I think I got enough. You said you were cleared out so I grabbed a little extra.”

That warmth comes creeping back into her chest. “You didn’t have to. Thank you,” she says sincerely.

“Yeah,” he says, clearing his throat again, “if we’re- you’re going to be stuck inside for a couple of days because of the weather gotta at least have snacks.”

She hums in agreement, a swoop of happiness moving through her at his slip up. They place the bags down in the kitchen and he goes to grab a glass of water. Bonnie begins unpacking and quickly realizes he’s gotten way more than snacks. As she goes through the bags she also sees shrimp, pasta, bacon, eggs, veggies, wine, rice, chicken, drinks. She laughs, surprised. “You really went full out grocery shopping.”

He shrugs, finishing up his glass, and takes off his coat - he’s changed from the leather to a thick winter peacoat. “Habit,” he says. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Well thank you, again. I’ll pay you back.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he says again. She gives him a peck on the lips as another thank you and they’re like ice. “Oh, you’re freezing. Go take a hot shower - warm up and I’ll start on dinner.” She looks at the shrimp and pulls out the box of pasta. “How does shrimp scampi sound? It’s quick, easy.”

“Sounds fine,” he says, looking at her intently and she nods.

She looks over her shoulder at the pantry thinking, “I should have some white wine left over to cook w-“

He kisses her so suddenly and passionately that it takes her breath away and makes her heart stutter and skip. She hears the box of pasta hit the countertop as he tilts his head to deepen the kiss, his lips warming up quickly against her own. He cups her face and walks her backwards until she gently bumps against the wall. Kai’s hands slide down her sides to her hips and he lifts her without a second thought. Her legs wrap tightly around his waist, hands sliding into his thick hair.

She knows it’s probably the newness of him but every time his lips touch hers she feels mildly intoxicated. Kai presses his hips into hers, one hand clutching underneath her thigh the other holding the back of her neck, cradling her head, and she adores how it feels to be surrounded by him. He kisses her like he’s hungry for her, and he makes a deep, sexy, almost aching sound in the back of his throat. Her own little moan slips into his waiting mouth and she arches into him. He breathes in deeply through his nose when he pulls away slightly, placing his forehead against hers. She rests a hand on his chest and feels his heart beating a mile a minute.

“You really like shrimp scampi, huh?” She laughs breathlessly, deliriously happy.

“Love it,” he says, still breathing deeply. Her face grows hot at his words.

“Go,” she says gently, pushing her hips into his and his nostrils flare, eyes sparking. She shivers at the feel of his hardness pressing against center, and she revels in the look on his face as she does it again. His grip on her thigh tightens a little and she remembers how fun it is to tease him. “Let me get started on dinner while you warm up,” she says, even as she slides her hands down his chest only to go underneath his black sweater and run her nails down his toned stomach. She grinds against him slightly and they immediately fall into a rhythm, his lips claiming hers again. “Go,” she repeats when he pulls away to burry his face in her throat as their hips still move against each other, agonizing in its slow pace and layers of clothes between them. She lightly drags her teeth over his earlobe and she feels him kiss that sensitive spot at the base of her neck. _He remembers._ She plays with his jeans button. “I’m going to start cooking now,” she says softly.

He stays there for a moment, still, breathing, and his stomach contracts as her fingers brush over the trail of hair leading down and disappearing into his waistband. When he finally lifts his head and he gazes at her his eyelids are heavy. Something flits over his face, a quick expression in his eyes that’s there one second and gone the next as he looks at her lips, her eyes, her throat, taking all of her in. Almost reluctantly he lets her slide back down the wall and he says, “Okay,” quietly. He keeps looking at her, searchingly, and she wonders, again, what is going on in that head of his. After a few seconds, he grabs his bag and heads to the bathroom.

Blood rushing comfortably hot in her veins she smiles to herself as she starts putting the groceries away. She hears the shower start further into the penthouse and a wave of domesticated bliss washes over her. She could get used to this, she thinks. Getting ready to cook dinner while Kai is off in the same general space doing his own thing. She likes the feeling of him near.

The thing is, she doesn’t date much; she’s always working or on the go and honestly no one really catches her interest. “ _Picky_ ,” Caroline calls it, but Bonnie has just always been this way. She was stuck on Damon for so long, even with the on again and off again, back and forth. Whenever they were ‘off,’ she barely gave anyone a glance, emotionally drained from dealing with him, and the few times she would see someone as a possible interest Damon would show back up out of nowhere and easily bring her attention back to him. In the past five years, she’s been on three dates with the two different guys and had sex with one of them once, but Jeremy had been a fluke and the sex lukewarm at best.

It’s funny, she thinks as she finishes putting away the groceries and washes her hands preparing to cook. All those years with Damon, from being in each other’s pockets as kids to dating when they were older, no matter how many times he’s stayed over or kissed her on the neck as she made breakfast, she never experienced this innately homey feeling. She’d felt happy, giddy even at times, but she was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Which it almost always did. She realizes even more in hindsight that she was always slightly on edge with him even before the fame, fortune, and notoriety. As a child it was  _will he be my friend? Will he be my best friend? _ As a teen it morphed into  _when will he realize I like him? When will he realize I love him? Does he feel the same way? _And as an adult it was full blown _was he telling truth? Was he really staying?_ And the one that would keep her up some nights: _does he really love me?_

But it’s not like that with Kai.

‘ _When you know, you know._ ’ She suddenly hears Caroline’s voice in a distant memory - they’d been curled up on her best friend’s couch sipping on white wine when Bonnie expressed that she wouldn’t know who ‘The One’ for her was even if God himself came down and announced it. ‘ _I knew Stefan was ‘The One’ on our first date,’_ she’d said. ‘ _And_ _we were, what? Twenty-two? Twenty-three? I don’t know why I didn’t see it before then, to be honest. The four of us were always together.’_

Bonnie lets her friend’s words stew in her mind as she fills a pot with water to start boiling.  


She’s spent all that time with Damon and was always left wondering, right from the beginning, but with Kai she doesn’t feel that way and it hasn’t been anywhere near the same amount of time. She doesn’t know if he’s ‘The One’ but she does know she likes the way this feels. 

With Damon, things always felt a little hollow and glossed over.

Kai feels different. He feels solid.

He feels real.

—

“And she can cook,” Kai says after taking a bite of food. They sit at the kitchen island, knees brushing. She rests one bare foot on top his socked one, Panda slipper abandoned on the tiles.

“And she can cook,” Bonnie confirms. “This is nothing. My Grams was the best cook. She taught me everything I know in the kitchen, which is a lot actually. She’d be so disappointed at how much take out I go through these days.”

“I think she’d understand. You’re busy.”

“So was she. But she always managed to have something on the stove.” She sighs, missing her grandmother like she always does.

“What was she like?” Kai asks, gently.

“Perfect,” Bonnie answers immediately. “In my eyes anyway. She was funny. Smart. Beautiful... and didn’t take anyone’s shit. And she had this sixth sense about people, like she knew _exactly_ who they really were before they even said a word.” She can still smell her Grams’ perfume and feel the softness of her palm when she would pat Bonnie’s cheek affectionately. She swallows the little lump in her throat that always appears when she thinks about her grandmother for longer than a moment. 

“She sounds great,” Kai says, sincerely.

“She was,” Bonnie replies. “You would have liked her.” She smiles at him. “She would have liked you.”

“You think?”

“I know.” 

Kai smiles a little, looking down at his plate. She looks out of the window, listening to the gusting wind and heavy rainfall. There’s a comfortable lull where they eat, knees still brushing occasionally. 

Her mind wanders to work and she must make a face because Kai asks, “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” she sighs. “Just thinking about work.” She ruminates about the headshots on her desk and the sides sitting unopened in her email. She tries not to think about the fact that she’s still dealing with Damon’s movie. “I really have to hire more people.”

“When do you go back?” 

“The second. I haven’t taken this much time off in a while. Probably since last Christmas and even then, I was still working over the break.”

“How you liking it? The time off?”

She shoots him a look and he smiles innocently. “It was ok, then it was stupid. You can check the blogs for details,” she grumbles, poking at her shrimp. 

Kai laughs. “Well,” he says getting up for seconds and her eyes automatically drift downwards. He’s got on a pair of grey sweatpants that fit him in all of the best ways. “Maybe it’ll get better.”

She watches him fill up his plate. “I think it will.”

—

As she pours them some more wine after dinner, Kai disappears from the kitchen and when he comes back five minutes later her heart flutters wildly when she catches sight of him. “You wear glasses?”

He looks ridiculously good looking in simple square framed lenses. “Yeah.”

“Can I?” He hands them over and she checks how strong his prescription is against her own eyesight. She doesn’t even get them on, a first glance showing a pretty blurry looking living room. “Wow,” she says handing them back. “That’s kind of strong. I never would have guessed.” He slides them back on and that feeling of fondness that’s been filling her up all evening presses up against her skin as he adjusts them.

She hands him his glass of wine and kisses his chin. And because she can she kisses it again, then his cheek twice, nuzzling his stubble, loving how it scratches gently on her skin. He turns his head and their mouths meet. She allows that fondness she feels to color her movements as she leans into him. God, he feels so good and safe. The secure feeling blankets her and she sinks into it, leisurely sucking at his bottom lip, moaning a little into his mouth when he palms her butt possessively, squeezing. She loses herself in the feeling, kissing him for what seems like a lifetime and when she pulls away she still wants more.

“You really like glasses, huh?” he jokes lowly, kissing her top lip.

“Love em,” she whispers, giving in and kissing him again.

—

“What?” she laughs seeing Kai’s expression as she settles on the couch. “I watch a couple of episodes every night. It’s part of my routine.”

Kai shakes his head, lifting her feet up and sitting down. He rests them on his lap and adjusts the blanket. “A dash of emotional distress before bed,” he says, rubbing her sole like it’s second nature. “Perfect.”

_Who’s doing this for you now?_ echos in her ears and she shakes his voice away. She disguises the little movement with a roll of her eyes, playing annoyed to Kai’s faux trepidation. “You’ll learn to love it,” she says pleasantly and puts on The Great British Baking Show, sipping her wine.

—

Blueberry whines and paws at the bedroom door. “He’s used to sleeping at the end of the bed,” she explains as she turns down the blankets and slides in. Kai walks in from the bathroom having just finished brushing his teeth. He’s taken off his navy blue henley and all he wears are those damn sweats and glasses. Bonnie feels her mouth water and she swallows reflexively. 

“You should let him in” he says getting in next to her. “In a little bit, anyway.”

“In a little bit?” she teases already gravitating towards him, chin tilted up.

He grins as he cradles the back of her head and kisses her. “In a while,” he amends.

“Yeah, a while,” she smiles back against his mouth, running her hands over his shoulders and letting him press her into the pillows. He raises a hand to his face.

“Keep them on,” she says, before he can take off his glasses.

“Yes ma’m,” he murmurs, as he settles between her thighs.

—

Roughly three hours later Kai opens the door and Blueberry huffs at him as he walks into the room.

“Don’t look at me,” he mutters, “she’s the one who said keep you out.”

“He’s lying,” Bonnie laughs from where she lays on the bed, smiling blissfully. “I’d never-“

“Sssh,” he says. “I can’t be the bad guy here. He’s a killing machine remember?”

She giggles as he collapses on the bed beside her on new sheets. “Fine, it was me BB,” she says draping herself across Kai’s chest and he plays with her hair. “I’m sorry.” Blueberry lays at her feet and promptly closes his eyes with another huff.

—

She wakes up slowly, the sound of sleet pounding against the window and a solid heat at her back. She floats, blissful, in that in between of awake and asleep before she gradually flows into full consciousness.

_Kai_.

A spiral of happiness swirls up from her stomach to the middle of her chest and she smiles into the pillow. She turns in his arms slowly and he sleeps steadily. _He really is beautiful,_ she thinks in a drowsy way. She runs a light finger down his defined chest and stomach, tracing the lines of his abs but he still doesn’t stir. She kisses the flat mole on his throat and he shifts onto his back, arm pulling her closer in sleep. She rests her head on his shoulder and closes her eyes. His hand smoothes over her bare hip and she throws a leg over his naked thigh.

The next time she opens her eyes the sleet has turned to falling snow and she’s alone in bed.

She smells bacon.

—

“You’re just bossing me around today, aren’t you?” she hears Kai say and she hesitates in the entryway of the kitchen. He stands at the stove in just his sweats and Blueberry is looking up at him, tail wagging. “I have a feeling your mom doesn’t do this, but brownie points right?” Blueberry looks up at him, and pats his bare foot with his paw. “I don’t know, Bud.” Blueberry whines and Kai sighs. “Just... fine. Don’t tell her.” Kai hands him a piece of fresh bacon and her dog immediately accepts his treat happily. Bonnie presses her fingers to her lips holding in a laugh. She waits until she’s composed and Blueberry is done licking his chops to interrupt what will quickly become a never ending cycle. Before he can beg for more Bonnie walks into the kitchen.

“Hey.”

Both of their heads turn towards her with equally innocent expressions and she feels her lips twitch. “Hey,” Kai says lightly, pushing his frames up with his knuckle. “Made brunch.”

“It smells good,” she says, adjusting her powder blue, faux sheer robe. She goes to peak at what he’s made and to grab the kettle to fill with water for her tea. “Sorry. I usually don’t sleep this long. Even on the weekends.”

“Never apologize for sleeping in on a snow day,” he says as she places the kettle down and turns the burner on.

She wraps her arms around him, kissing his chest once before sighing. She looks at Blueberry still at their feet and then the darkened wintery wonderland it is outside. “I need to walk him before he goes crazy.”

“I already took him out.” Kai says casually. “About an hour and a half ago.”

She blinks. “You did?”

“Yeah. He’s persistent,” Kai says looking down at the dog. “With a name like Blueberry you’d think he was sweet but he’s kind of a bully.” 

Bonnie chuckles and perches on a chair at the island. “A bully?” Blueberry comes over to sit by her legs, nosing her hand and she gives him head scratches.

“Yeah. His tactics are very odd yet compelling. He wouldn’t stop trying to take my knees out; he kept sneaking up on me with the leash in his mouth and just going at em’ with his head. I think he was trying to push me towards the front door...He made me feed him too. I don’t know if I threw him off of a schedule but he seemed to know what he was doing. Looked like he would tear the bag open if I didn’t.” Kai eyes the dog.

“No it’s fine. More than fine. I’m surprised he bothered you though.” Bonnie says looking down at Blueberry curiously. 

“I think he’s testing me. Is he really a killing machine?”

Blueberry looks at him with big, brown puppy eyes. “Yeah, he is,” Bonnie says, absently. She scratches his head some more looking down at him. “You stop the bullying, BB.” Blueberry presses his snout into her palm and licks it. “But thank you,” she tells Kai. “You didn’t have to.”

“You looked so peaceful,” he shrugs and puts a plate of bacon, eggs, and french toast with strawberries in front of her. The kettle starts to whistle. “Why do you always say that?” Kai asks.

“Say what?” She gets up to grab her mug and teabag. She pours the boiling water into the ceramic cup, grabs a glass for him, and sits back down.

“That I don’t have to do something.” He sits next to her with his own plate and a carton of orange-mango juice.

She shrugs. “I don’t know. Because it’s true? I’m just used to doing it myself.”

“Well,” he says, pouring a cup. “I like doing things for you.” Bonnie doesn’t know what to say as he cuts into his french toast and takes a big bite. “I’m most likely going to keep doing things for you,” he says around the mouthful. “So you don’t have to say it anymore.”

“Oh. You don’t-“ she begins and he smirks. “Ok,” she says quietly instead. She wants to ask why, but she doesn’t.

“Want to spend the day in bed?” he asks and she nods, resting one bare foot on his, and digs into her food.

—

He gets a call while his head rests in her lap; he’s watching some show about glass blowing as she checks emails from her phone. He groans, having been on the verge of slipping into a post-brunch nap while Bonnie runs her manicured fingernails up and down his back gently.

“Hello?” he grumbles sleepily. “Yes I know what time it is. What is it, Livvy?” He listens for a moment and says “no, the expense reports are in the folders for taxes. Where it’s always been.” He listens again. “Why do you keep letting Luke come in there and rearrange things? He’s in med school. How does that translate?” He shakes his head, “I’m just saying, at least ask Joey first.” He pauses for a moment longer and sighs. “Where’s Mai? Is she there?”

He waits and Bonnie feels some tension seep out of his shoulders. He puts the phone on speaker so he doesn’t have to hold it at a weird angle anymore.

“Hey, Kai-Bear,” a sweet, calm voice says after a minute. 

“Hey, Mai-Bear.” Kai’s voice is slightly warmer at the sound. “What’s going on?”

“Well,” she sighs. “It’s raining. And I’m hungry.”

“You’re always hungry. And I meant with the files.”

“Well, we’re trying to get these documents together for the year, but we can’t find them.”

“Is the whole folder gone?”

“No, but its empty.” 

He makes a discontented sound. “Ok, well, when I get home I’ll send my copies. But they should be at each property. Can you check the computers there or have Jo do it?”

“Mmmmhmm,” she hums. “You’re not at home?”

“No.”

“Where are you?” she asks, her melodic tone genuinely curious.

“At uh, a friend’s house.” Bonnie smirks.

”Which friend?” Mai asks, humor in a voice. “You sound like you just woke up.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

She laughs. “Oh, so your girlfriend?” she says, jokingly.  Kai hesitates and it must be too long of a pause because Mai says, “Wait. Are you really?”

”Why are you guys obsessed with my love life. I don’t get it.”

”Oh my God, when did you get a girlfriend? You _just_ left. What happened to being interested in Bonnie Bennett?” Bonnie grins now, listening intently. Kai doesn’t say anything. “No,” the voice on the other line says hopefully. 

Bonnie feels Kai grin against her thigh. “Actually, yeah.” He sounds mildly proud and Bonnie runs her fingers through his hair. 

“Yay,” Mai nearly whispers. “Hold on.” There’s some shuffling.

“Is he sending them?” another voice says, still female, but deeper and more drollin tone than Mai’s. 

“Yeah, Livvy. He said he’s going to send them.”

“When?”

“Soon.”

“When’s soon?”

“In time.” 

Livvy grumbles something in the background and there is the sound of a door shutting. Mariah starts talking to Kai again. “Livvy says “love you, asshole.” But yay, Kai. Good job. I knew she’d like you.”

“Tell her the exact same. And you’re the only one.”

“We were just kidding,” she insists. 

“Yeah, yeah,” he says, still smiling slightly. “Just don’t say anything to anyone. Not yet.”

“Because of the pictures?” she asks. “With Damon Slavatore?” Bonnie’s ears burn at the mention of them. 

“Sort of,” Kai throws out. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later.”

“Ok. Oh Kai, you have a girlfriend.” Mai sounds dreamy and Kai laughs. 

“I’ve had girlfriends before,” he says, mild offense mixing with his amusement.

“I know, but you really like this one. Your eyes kept doing that thing-“ but he tries to cut her off. 

“Ok, Mai,” he says. 

“Like when you eat that strawberry jam from that farmer’s market. They do that thing. You lo-“

“I’ll send those over when I get home if you can’t find them.” He says loudly over her talking.

“Whenever that will be,” she says suggestively.

He ignores her. “Is there anything else you guys need?”

“Nope! We’re good. Oh, but can you tell her I love those shoes she was wearing the day she got home from Aspen. Ugh, they are so pretty. Those blue heels.” 

“I’ll let her know.”

“Ask her where she got them.”

“I will,” Kai laughs. “I’m going now.”

“Ok, bye. Love you!”

“Love you too.”

”I can’t even tell Jo?”

”No.”

”Ugh, fine. Bye.”

”Bye, Mai.”

“They were Jimmy Choo,” Bonnie says after he hangs up, smiling. “Were those your sisters?”

“Two of them, yeah. _That_ was my _baby_ , baby sister.”

“A.K.A the favorite?” Bonnie guesses. 

“Most definitely,” Kai agrees and Bonnie laughs putting her phone to the side. 

“She sounds cute.”

“Well, she looks just like me so I’ll take that compliment and keep it.” She laughs and she realizes she doesn't know what he does for a living. She assumed it was just acting but apparently not. She slides down to lay on her side, facing him. 

“What was that about?”

“Paperwork that my little brother messed with. Again.”

“What do you guys do?”

“We own a brewery back home. Actually four.” Bonnie raises her eyebrows, surprised. “Yeah, my granddad started his business before it was a fashion statement.” Bonnie quirks her lips

“Oh, so you’re a beer snob.”

“Not really. Maybe a little but it’s the competitive side of me; our business has been steady. But these crappy breweries are popping up like ants, just invading everywhere. And its always shitty and made by a guy with handlebars and suspenders.” 

“So your whole family works there?”

“At one point or another we have. But only Livvy, Joey, and Jo are the ones who really run everything since I’ve been gone. Mai is in training while she’s in culinary. I don’t think she’ll end up on the business side, though.”

“Why not? Is she not interested?”

“Oh, she’s in love with the business itself. She’s just already so fixated on the brews and food, she’ll probably be a chef in our kitchens. Which, have at it. She’s great.” He shifts a little so he’s looking at the ceiling. “I go out there every once in a while since technically the actual breweries were left to me, and I’d been running them when I lived there, in between roles. But they’re doing great, my brother and sisters. Better than I expected, honestly.”

“Oh, so your grandfather left it all to you?” 

“No, he actually left it to my father. Who surpringly left it all to me when he died.”

“Why’s that surprising?” Kai doesn’t say anything right away. He considers his words choosing them carefully. “Because, we weren’t close.”

“Oh...” she feels a little bad for asking. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay...” he thinks for a few seconds. “He wasn’t winning any awards for best dad... By the time he died we weren’t on speaking terms.”

“I’m sorry,” she says again. 

“Thanks, I guess. I never know what to say to that, when people say sorry. He was...” he trails off. “He was a mean drunk who died of liver failure.” Bonnie watches his face closely. He’s calm, voice steady, but there’s a shadow of pain in his eyes. She strokes his hand gently. After a few long moments he continues. “Anyway, he left it all to me, his idea of an apology, I guess. Since I always got it the worst. After he died I worked it out so that me and my brothers and sisters are all co-owners. And honestly it wasn’t that hard - we’d heard shop talk for so long, picked up enough. We managed. More than managed.”

She continues stroking his palm. “You’re a great big brother.” 

“They would say otherwise,” he chuckles. 

“Doubt it,” she says softly. Even when he was annoyed, the love for his first sister was apparent in his tone. “Where was your mom?” 

“There but... not. She would take me to my auditions, jobs I’d landed when I was little, but besides that...” his brow furrows. “We don’t speak either. Jo and I, we did everything. Mostly everything growing up. She was always in her own world.” Something squeezes in Bonnie’s chest and she laces their fingers together. She tries to imagine a teenage Kai, tall and skinny, wrangling his siblings, cooking them meals, probably helping to feed them, and do their homework. Even as an adult he took care of them by making sure they all had a share in the family business. _A natural provider,_ her mind supplies. 

“You’re...” she trails off and he looks away from the ceiling to look at her. 

“I’m...?” His mouth quirks curiously 

_Amazing, a really great guy, too good to be true?_ She doesn’t say any of this, instead choosing to slide closer to him to rest her head on his shoulder. “A really, really great brother. They’re lucky they have you.”

“Thanks” he says quietly, wrapping his arm around her waist. 

—

He’d been slipping into a nap again but she couldn’t help herself.

He feels so good in her mouth, heavy on her tongue. The way his body moves, responding to every lick, stroke, and swallow makes Bonnie feel powerful. His hands worship her the best they can, running through her hair, stroking her temples and cheeks, occasionally rubbing along her lips as she moves her head up and down. She’s intoxicated by him again, and time is meaningless - has it been fifteen minutes or thirty? Bonnie doesn’t know - she just gets lost in the taste, touch, and sounds of him.

“Ah,” Kai sighs when her nose presses into his lower stomach and she lathes her tongue at the base of his shaft. She comes back up and jerks him with a spit slicked fist as her tongue wraps around the tip, undulating the muscle in a way that has him moaning and placing his hand on the back of her head. He doesn’t push her down, but she wants him to so she opens her eyes and they immediately catch his. She slowly sinks down again until her nose is pressing against his stomach and she relaxes her throat, swallowing once. “Shit,” he hisses and she stays there. Gazes still locked, he tentatively pushes his hips up and she closes her eyes again. _Use me._ He trembles slightly, trying to stay in control as he fucks her mouth slowly, each roll of his hips punctuated by a sigh. “Fuuuck,” he breathes and she opens her watery eyes to look at him. Between her legs throbs at the sight of his mouth slightly slack in pleasure, eyelids low, gaze heated as he stares at every inch going in and sliding back out. They make eye contact again and she swallows around his length. He moans, curses,hand flexing on the sheetsand she does it once more. 

She slips further into her heavily seduced state and breathes through her nose as she allows him to find pleasure, coming up occasionally only to suck on the head and have him melting even further into the bed. 

“Shit, I’m gonna-“ he fucks her mouth a little harder and she moves her head up and down again, helping him to the edge. She watches as his eyes roll into the back of his head and feels all of his muscles tense as he comes, his warm, clean, salty flavor bursting on her tongue. He grunts when she sucks the tip as he does, pulling it out of him, jerking him with her fist, and he writhes ever so slightly when she keeps going once she’s milked him dry. He’s trying to keep his eyes on her but they keep fluttering closed in pleasure as she swallows him all the way down again. It’s like she’s insatiable, she wants to keep going, suck on him until he’s fully hard and make him come all over again. 

His hips jerk when she slides her mouth back up and gently probes the hole with the tip of her tongue, stroking him. 

“Oh,” he breathes. “Jesus, Bon...”

She kisses the tip lushly and does the same to his inner thigh. She bites the skin there, craving him, and his body jerks. He lays on his back breathing hard and she crawls up his body to straddle his waist. She’s soaking wet but she isn’t focused on that right now. She looks down at him, watching him come back down to Earth.

He places his hands on her thighs and squeezes them occasionally, like the feeling helps ground him. Finally, after a long moment,he opens his eyes to see her peering down at him, hair tumbling over her bare shoulders. His eyes are soft as he stares at her. “Come here,” he says, voice deep in his chest and she bends to nuzzle his nose. He breathes in her scent and kisses her cheek before he wraps his palm around the back of her neck. She kisses him lightly on the lips and he chases her for more, lifting his head up when she pulls away. She does it again, liking the way he’s so drawn to her.

He drops his head back on the pillow and watches her. She leans down slowly and this time kisses him fully. His other hand spans her lower back and slides down to her ass, fingers squeezing gently.

Their tongues slide together and they quickly get lost in each other. She nibbles on his top lip, and his hand squeezes harder. She sighs into his mouth as she pulls away and he doesn’t follow this time. Just lays there with his eyes closed, a faint smile on his face. She lays on his chest, skin to skin, tucking her head underneath his chin and he smooths his hand up and down her back.

“That was....amazing,” he says sounding awed and she smiles a little.

“Good,” she says faintly and kisses his chest.

—

“What do you think, BB,” Bonnie says to her puppy as they ride the elevator back up to her floor. “You like him?” Blueberry wags his tail looking up at her, tongue lolling. “Yeah me, too,” she says. She’d insisted that she be the one to take him out for a walk this time, since the snow had let up some. Her mouth curves into a smile thinking about leaving him in the kitchen to start dinner as she slipped out.

When they enter the apartment she hears him singing to himself. And he can _sing_ , she thinks. She unhooks Blueberry’s leash and takes off her coat, hanging it up on the coat rack. His voice is smooth and steady, effortless and sure as he sings the words to a song she’s never heard before. 

The smell of chicken baking fills the space and that feeling of being domesticated reverberates acutely through her. She walks into the kitchen where he’s rinsing off some rice.

_Put my heart on my chest so that you can see it, too._   
_I'm walking the long road, watching the sky fall._

He sounds _really_ good and she wonders briefly what it’s like to be so talented. No wonder why she was so drawn to him. Still singing he sets the rice to cook and turns to her. He takes her in his arms easily and she laughs. He holds her close as they sway to the crooning melody.

_ I'm cutting my mind off  
Feels like my heart is going to burst  
Alone at a table for two and I just wanna be served  
And when you think of me am I the best you've ever had?  
Share one more drink with me, smile even though you're sad _

As she listens to the words she smiles, heart filling up and she closes her eyes, burying her face in his chest as they move slowly. 

—

Their knees brush.

They smile softly. 

A baker cries. 

“Want to stay the night?” she asks him, after looking out of the window at the swirling snow. 

He strokes her cheek fondly with his thumb. “Yeah.” 

They kiss. 


	6. 12/31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No matter the universe, Kai will hyper-focus on Bonnie. I’m convinced.

It’s nearing four a.m and Kai can’t sleep.

He’s gazing at Bonnie who lies beside him, resting peacefully on her back, and his mind is running in circles like it has been for the past few hours. Every time he closes his eyes the thoughts get louder, demanding his attention. 

_ You found her. _

_ She’s it. _

_ You’re done now, you don’t have to look anymore.  _

_ She’s it. _

Bonnie’s cracked his code. A code he wasn’t even aware existed.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew this day would come. He’s thirty-four and, while he’s not much of a romantic, he figured that one day he’d eventually find someone who was nice, attractive and, hopefully, interesting enough to eventually settle down with. But ultimately it would be just that; someone he _settled_ for. In his opinion that was everyone’s best chance nowadays; settling. That fairy tale story - love at first sight, eyes meeting across a crowded room, hands reaching for the same item on a shelf and feeling a static shock of knowing, it didn’t exist. At least not to him- happenings like that weren’t in the cards for him. Maybe for others, but Kai never assumed himself fortunate enough. But as he studies the woman lying two feet away from him he’s starting to think that maybe, against all odds, he _is_ that lucky. 

All this time he figured he would settle and, most importantly, it would happen when he was ready; when he was prepared and actively seeking. But then he met Bonnie and needless to say he was doing neither. 

That spot, deep inside of him, that wants to settle down? She lights it up. It was always an idea, a concept to be fufilled in the near, if obscure, future and one that remained latent. But the part of him, the one that‘s nearly been forgotten, the part that desires a family wakes up and responds to Bonnie, almost as if something invisible, but very much real, is physically reaching out to him. 

He hadn’t been searching. It had blindsided him. Kai uses this as an excuse as to why he couldn’t identify the feeling for what it was when he’d first experienced it - when he’d first laid eyes on her sitting at that table ready to assess him and he felt an almighty tug. He’s been trying (and failing) to push away the weightier emotion that trails behind her fingerswhen they run through his hair or graze his back as she passes. He finds it harder to ignore the way his core responds when she looks at him with those eyes or when their lips touch. Christ, even when his name slips from her lips it stirs something new inside of him. But after tonightKai can’t pretend he doesn’t feel it or know what it is any longer...

_ He sits with his back against the headboard, holding her close as she rides him slowly. His eyes feast on her honey golden skin still partially wrapped in lingerie, pale blue, sheer, thigh high stockings and garters making her look irresistible. She feels and tastes as sweet as she looks. Her breaths are soft against his mouth and she cups his cheek with one palm and he does the same to her, stroking her face softly. Kissing her makes his breath catch slightly with how it tastes of longing and he feels a deep wanting inside of himself; a yearning for more even as she moves up and down on him slowly, hypnotically, chests flush together, her other hand at the back of his neck. He could be with her like this forever, it feels so right, the way it pulls at something in him. He wants,  _ needs _ to be like this with her forev- _

She’s going to have my baby one day.

_The intrusive thought comes out of nowhere and it should startle him but in the moment it only acts to turn him on even more. She continues to ride him, picking up the pace a little when his arm tightens around her waist and he imagines her, squeezing around him as he finishes, milking him as he fills her with his seed. He sees her in his mind’s eye, stomach growing and expanding slowly over time, carrying his children, carrying_ their _children, proof that he’s claimed her, that she’s his and his only-_

_He literally lifts her up completely off of him with hands underneath her arms, moving her to the side and groaning as he comes messily on his stomach, a few drops even landing on his chest, the idea bringing him so much unexpected pleasure it hurtles him towards completion before he can even process what is happening. She laughs, delighted, breathless and surprised when he does that, and bends forward to lick him clean as he moans brokenly, none the wiser that his base intincts had almost taken over.._.

Kai assumed the idea would fade with his orgasm but it hadn’t. It won’t leave. Even after they’d cleaned up and gone to bed he couldn’t rid himself of the thought. He always knew he’d wanted children eventually, but now it feels like eventually is a real time. With Bonnie it seems so tangible. So possible. In his addled brain it just seems obvious. 

She embodies home. 

_You’d have to marry her first_. 

_ Ok. _

And that throws him, too, because marriage, just like children, has always been an abstract, and distant concept. But as he lays with her the word ‘wife’ doesn’t sound too bad attached to her. It sounds... good. It fits.

_ Bonnie Bennett Parker. _

He’d be a husband.

_ Bonnie Parker _

_ Mrs. Bonnie Parker _

God, he feels like a teenage girl doodling on a notebook. 

_ Mr. and Mrs. Parker. _

But it has a ring to it. 

He was going crazy, he’s sure of it. 

But he doesn’t care. 

They say this is how it’s supposed to happen. You‘re just supposed to _know_. Kai isn’t sure that that’s completely true, but he’s been unable to keep his eyes off of her, wondering. 

Is this is wife? He remembers how viscerally satisfied he’d felt when he walked in to have her greet him at the door in pj’s and perfectly messy hair, helping with the groceries. It was like a mini bolt of lightning had hit him in that spot in his gut, seeing her utterly relaxed, waiting on him to get back so they could cook dinner. It was so...regular. Something so damn mundane shouldn’t have hit him so hard. 

His rumination is broken when Bonnie moves in her sleep, her small hand reaching for him. She cuddles closer once she finds his side and puts her head against his chest. He holds her to him, marveling at how natural it feels to have her in his arms. 

_ You found her.  _

Kai’s grandfather used to say that he knew his grandmother was the one the day he’d met her.No, the minute he saw her. They’d gotten married two months after meeting and were together for over fifty years. 

His heart leaps in his chest. 

Could he do that long with Bonnie? She makes a little sound in her sleep and he rubs her back. Her soft, warm breath tickles his throat.

_My wife,_ he thinks again. _This is my wife_. A flash of him introducing her to some faceless, nameless people at a party as such makes him smile faintly to himself.

He waits for it to feel scary or overwhelming but he feels neither. While he can admit it’s a little heavy and very foreign, he mostly feels... relief. Relief mixed in with the slight nerves that have now taken up residence inside of him.

He doesn’t think he has to search anymore. 

_ You found her.  _

—

Hours later, as the grey day progresses Kai attempts to act normal, trying to play it cool like he hasn’t decided to plan their life in the middle of the night, and he manages. They eat breakfast, she works from her computer, he relaxes on the couch massaging her calf as she types and he goes over Salvatore’s script, half his mind thinking about the paperwork for Parker Brews that he needs to dig up when he goes home later - he needs to do those taxes himself. Kai won’t leave it to his siblings. Not after last year. 

It’s when Bonnie stretches and sets her work to the side so she can straddle his lap that he thinks his mask slips a little. They touch each other freely as always but he’s positive his thoughts bleed into his actions. It feels different when he caresses her now. He can’t help it - his kisses linger, savoring her taste. He holds her closer and feels himself unable to look away from her face. His heart does somersaults in his chest every time he slides into herwarm, welcoming body once, twice, three times. Something in him can’t stop touching her once he begins; he’s insatiable, gently bringing her to the edge over and over even while he recovers in between reaching their peaks, giving her little rest. 

Bonnie welcomes him every time, a content, hot expression in her eyes that tugs at that part of him. She kisses his cheeks, his shoulder, his ear, his throat. She sighs his name, lets out sharp, hushed little moans while she wraps her legs around his lower back, hooking her ankles and _fuck_. When she whispers ‘oh, yes... thank you, baby... it feels so good’ in his ear as he strokes that spot deep inside of her it pushes him to the brink of _something_ and he wants to pull her down with him. 

After collapsing on the bed on his back after the third (fourth?) time his mind still runs on high speed; _I’d have to love her to marry her. Do I love her already? If not, it’s close to it. Have I ever even been in love? This feels different... it must be-_

“Mmmm, you’re in marathon mode today,” she says chin on his chest, looking at him with those cat eyes that glow warm and satisfied.

_Wife. Am I looking at my wife? I’m looking at my wife._ Love at first sight exists? Or love this soon? Apparently it does, because it’s either that or he’s suddenly become insane. _It’s infatuation_ his mind supplies, helpfully. Well who else would he be infatuated with if it wasn’t his future wife-?

“What are you thinking?” she asks, walking her fingers over his shoulder idly. 

“I-“ he falters because he cannot tell her _any_ of this. He searches his hazy mind for a plausible answer. “About tonight. You still wanted to go get drinks?” He doesn’t. He wants to feed her, hold her, ask her more about her life, and study her; he wants to eat her out all night, reduce her to a beautiful, pliable, state of nothing, build her back up, and break her down again. Fuck going out. He wants to put her to sleep and then think some more. 

She smiles and nods. “Yeah, nothing crazy. I’m not in the mood to go see the ball drop this year. We’re running late getting there anyway. But a drink or two, yeah. Then we can come back home.”

_Come back home._ His spent dick twitches at the phrase. Jesus, he’s losing it.

“Okay,” he says, easily. 

“Do you still want to go?”

He wants her to sit on his face while that stupid baking show is on in the background, feel her back bend as she tries to hold herself up while pleasure rakes through her body, his grip on those thighs firmly holding her in place-

“Kai?” she tilts her head, long hair spilling across his torso. 

“Yeah, I do.” He says smiling at her. He sits up and kisses her forehead. “It’ll be fun.”

—

As soon as Kai gets home, he tosses his keys on the kitchen counter and drops onto his black leather couch, staring at the ceiling. The objective is to sort out his thoughts but all that happens is that he sees flashes of Bonnie and has a flurry of thoughts that he can’t put in order. 

He isn’t alone, wading in his mixed up mind for fifteen minutes before his phone rings. 

“Heeeeeeey.”

“Hey Mai.” Kai sighs. “Did you guys still need those files? I’m about to send em over.”

“We found them. But send them anyway, just in case”

“Ok. It doesn’t matter, anyway; I’m going to do the taxes.”

“Oh, thank God,” Mariyah sighs. “We all touched our noses, so technically you were it anyway...”

“That doesn’t count when I’m not there.”

“It’s been working so far. Look! You’re doing the taxes.” Kai grins despite himself. 

“You guys are -“

“The best. I know.” Mariyah laughs a little. “Anyway, any New Years plans?”

“Just grabbing a drink with Bonnie.”

“Sounds chill. How’s that going?”

“It’s going good.” He thinks about kissing her goodbye an hour ago. “Really good.”

“Is it?” Mariyah sounds concerned. “You sound a little...”

“A little what?”

“I don’t know. Different? You sure everything is alright?”

Kai shrugs and realizes that his sister can’t see him. “Yeah, it’s fine,” he assures her. 

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Kai,” she presses. 

“Ok, just-“ He rubs his forehead. “Don’t -“

“-tell anyone, I know, I know. Why are you like this?”

“I think I’m going crazy,” he blurts out. 

“What?” Mai asks flatly

“I -“ Kai realizes theres no way to say this without sounding like a sap. “She’s- Ok. I know she’s not perfect. No one is. I dont expect or want her to be. I mean, I know eventually they’ll be things about her that will drive me crazy, just like I know I’ll annoy the hell out of her at some point. So, I get that. I know that it’s not going to be perfect. But... I think she might be perfect for me?” Mai doesn’t say anything, waiting. “I was looking at her last night and uh, I might have thought ‘that’s my wife.’” He clears his throat. “Which is crazy, right? It’s been what? Two weeks? How can someone know that after two weeks. I’m probably just...”

“Just what?”

“Just... in lust. Or infatuated.”

“Well, I mean, who are you supposed to be infatuated with if it’s not your future wife?”

“That’s what I thought-“ he stops himself. “It’s crazy though, right?” he asks again.

Mariyah sounds hesitant. “I mean...”

”Say it.”

“Honestly, if it were Joey, or Luke, or even me I’d say yeah, it’s kinda crazy. We get carried away. A lot. But...”

Kai doesn’t know why he’s hanging off of his sister’s every word. “But,” he urges her to continue. 

“Well, you don’t. Get carried away, I mean. Ever.” Kai doesn’t answer. “I know you. And you’ve never said this. You don’t think like this, so I think that’s something to consider in itself.”

“So you don’t think I’m delusional?”

“I think that I’m... surprised. Really, really surprised,” she says, voice calm and considering. “But at the same time, I’m not at all.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I meeean...” Mariyah drags the word out, choosing her words carefully, “I figured this would happen. I just didn’t think it would be so soon.”

“How could you possibly know that?” he asks, incredulously.

“I don’t know; the way you talked about her? The way you looked when you talked about her. It was different. Even Livvy noticed. She said you were in way over your head.”

“What would Livvy know?” he gripes.

“This, apparently,” Kai glowers at the wall. “I think you should trust yourself,” Mariyah says. “I trust you; It’s not bad that you feel this way. Just make sure. There’s no rush.”

“Yeah, there’s no rush. It’s probably nothing,” he murmurs.

Mariyah laughs a little at that. “Do you love her?” she shoots the question at him unexpectedly. 

“Yes.” It comes out automatically and Kai blinks, shaking his head. “I mean, I think so? I don’t know.”

He can hear her smile. “Yeah, it’s not nothing.” 

“I’m crazy.”

“Are you asking me if I think you’re crazy or telling me?”

“I know I am.”

“Yeah you are, but not because of this. You, Joey, and Liv jumped off the roof like, twice that one summer. That was crazy. I think this is sweet. It’s pretty cute.” Her voice softens and takes on that dreamy quality. “Aw, Kai.”

“Don’t start, Mai.”

“I’m sorry its just - you deserve it. You do. You take care of us _all_ the time - you deserve to be happy with someone. Let someone take care of you.”

“I’m fine,” he insists. 

“You’re always alone or at work,” she goes on. “Or ‘dating’ someone you know you won’t be with in a month. I like this. I like that you feel like this about someone, finally. Do you think she’d take care of you, that you would take care of each other?”

”Yeah,” he says, letting his head fall back. “I could see that.”

”That’s what counts.”

Kai stares at his ceiling. “It’s not too soon?”

“Does it matter?” Mariyah laughs. “You can’t help it. If I say ‘yes’ will you stop feeling this way?

“Probably not.”

“Exactly. Who cares if it was fast? Just... make sure it’s for real. You can feel it - just... sit on it for a while. If you still feel the same after, like, six months than it’s the real deal.” She gasps a little. “Oh, you said wife! You’d ask her to marry you?”

“Yes,” the answer falls easily from his lips. “Stop asking me questions.”

“No,” Mariyah sounds gleeful. “Would you have kids with her?”

“Yes.” Who is controlling his mouth?

“Oh my God,” she gushes. “They would be so cute. So, so cute.”

“I know,” he groans. 

“Their eyes. Oh, their skin, and if they got your dimples. I’m godmother; I call dibs, for real Kai.” Kai can see it all, a happy, babbling baby that looks like the perfect mix of him and Bonnie, and he can feel himself smiling. He stops. Or tries to and fails. “Oh, I can’t wait until you have babies, Kai. I’m going to be an auntie. I like this!” Mariyah proclaims.

“Go figure.”

“What?” Mai laughs. “You really rather I tell you this is a bad idea?”

“Yes!”

“No,” she says and Kai groans. “This is just adorable. And with her style? Imagine the teeny, little chic outfits,” Mariyah sounds like he’s lost her, dreaming of tiny designer shoes and onesies. She sounds ridiculously ready for this whole thing. “I still can’t tell anyone? Not even Luke? You know he loves babies-“

“No,” he says sharply. “Definitely not.”

“Ugh,” Mai grumbles. “You are the worst, I swear.”

—

“Oh, so you’re not dead?”

Bonnie rolls her eyes and smirks. She runs a towel over her skin damp skin, fresh from the shower. “Nope. I’m alive and very well.”

“I’ve called you like three times,” Caroline whines slightly. 

“I noticed. Is everything ok?” Bonnie asks, already knowing the answer. 

“Yeah, I’m just bored and so over the vibes here.”

“I know; your slew of text messages told me as much.”

“Well, I’m sorry, but it’s so boring without you here. And you know I love a good tiff but my God, Damon and Nora are so _boring_. Silent, and brooding, and awkward. I only like silent and brooding when Stef does it.”

Bonnie laughs. She steps out of the bathroom and almost expects Kai to be there, but he left to go to his place this afternoon. Goosebumps cascade over her body pleasantly as she recalls how he said goodbye. “Sorry I’ve been a little...busy.”

“Obviously. I saw those pap photos when you touched down. Why didn’t you call?” Bonnie sighs. She lays on her bed, on the side that in her mind is now Kai’s. The smell of his shampoo remains on the pillows. “Helloooo?” Caroline says. 

“Sorry,” Bonnie says, coming back to the present. “Yeah, they were here, poking around. There’s a straggler her and there, but they’re gone for the most part. And when I got home that afternoon I called Kai. He came over to talk.”

“Oh,” Caroline says sounding contrite already. “How’d that go?”

Bonnie can’t keep the smile out of her voice when she says, “Pretty good. He just left a couple of hours ago.”

“Today?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s been there the whole time?”

“Mhm.”

Caroline gasps then laughs. “That sounds like one hell of a talk. And it was just ok?”

“Actually it was a pretty great talk,” Bonnie laughs and Caroline sighs happily. 

“Good. I’m so freakin’ glad. I know you said whatever about Damon but blah blah blah. You’ll work it out. You deserve this. Whatever this is. What is it?”

Bonnie smiles at the ceiling. “It’s good. It’s great. I think it’s...something.”

“Something? Something as in...”

“I don’t know,” Bonnie says, bashful. “Like it’s the start of something...significant. Important.”

“Really?” Caroline sounds a little surprised. “What’s he like that has you talking like this?”

“Funny, smart, calm. And he’s sweet, Care. Really fucking sweet. And he’s straight forward and talented. But it feels...” she gets up from the bed and walks over to her closet.

“What,” Caroline sounds intrigued. 

“It feels too... natural,” she says, looking for something simple to wear. “It feels like we’ve been around each other for a while. More than a few days and more like... a few years. It’s great, but it’s kind of messing with me.”

“How?” Caroline says, puzzled. 

“I can see myself doing this, Caroline.” She picks a simple, fitted black sweater.

“Doing what? Being with him? So?”

“No, I mean for a _long_ time. I can literally see myself coming home to him for a really, _really_ long time.”

“I’m still not seeing the issue. Isn’t that the point?”

Bonnie moves her hands aimlessly, sweater flapping. “Yeah, eventually. But not so soon.”

“Says who?” Caroline laughs, finally. “You can do and feel whatever the hell you want, whenever you want.”

Bonnie shakes her head and bends to look through her shoes. “It’s too soon.”

“Listen,” Caroline says lovingly, yet firmly, “you’re not getting any younger. I’m sorry,” she says over Bonnie’s gasp of indignation. “But it’s true. You’re letting the fact that you don’t age on the outside distract you. Fabulously blessed genes or no you are, in fact, not aging in reverse and neither is Sasha’s best friend.” Bonnie rolls her eyes and picks out black knee high, high heeled boots. “This was bound to happen,” her friend continues. 

“With Kai?”

“Well, not him exactly, but someone. What did you think finding your husband-“

“Husband?!” Bonnie exclaims.

“Was supposed to feel like?” Caroline continues.

“Who said anything about a husband?” She grabs her favorite black slim fit pants that make her butt look amazing off of a shelf.

“Ok, Bonnie,” Caroline dismisses her surprise. “All I’m saying is it’s not too soon to feel anything. Keep feeling him out. Make sure it’s for real.”

“Kinda did that already. He’s been here four days straight.” Bonnie throws the outfit on the bed and lets the shoes fall to the floor. She lays back down on Kai’s pillow. 

“Wasn’t there a storm up there?” Bonnie confirms yes and Caroline says “that was just an extended sleepover. But you didn’t feel like killing each other and that’s a great sign. It’s actually impressive.”

“I know. You know how I am with people in my space.” 

“Yeah, I do. When’s the last time you even had someone over?”

“Do you count?”

“No,” Caroline says, sounding amused.

“Then a really, really long time.”

“I’ve got to meet this guy,” Caroline says.

“You’d like him. I’m seeing him again tonight, actually.”

“For the ball drop?”

“No, we’re just going out to grab some drinks.”

“Club or bar?”

“Bar.”

“Oh, that sounds nice and cozy. All huddled together in a booth-“

“Shut up,” Bonnie snarks and Caroline laughs. 

“It does,” Caroline insists. “I’m just glad you’re getting out.”

“You make me sound like some kind of shut in.”

“You know that’s not what I mean. All I’m saying is that I’m happy that this worked out. I know you didn’t want to end it with him yet.”

“Thanks,” Bonnie says quietly. 

“So, what did you guys do for four days, besides the obvious?”

Bonnie smiles to herself. “A lot of talking and a lot of eating. He’s an amazing cook...”

—

The bar is crowded, loud, and warm but not uncomfortable. Bonnie sits at the bar, her coat on another chair holding Kai’s spot until he arrives. She nurses a whiskey as she observes the crowd. Everyone is in high spirits, bouts of laughter exploding for different booths, full of laughing friends. For a moment she misses Caroline and Stefan, wondering how they’re spending their New Year’s Eve, and then there’s a deep familiar voice in her ear. 

“Sorry to bother you, but you caught my eye from across the room and I couldn’t resist.”

Bonnie grins and turns in her chair, looking up. “Is that so?”

“It is,” Kai says, dragging his eyes down her body.

“Hey,” she snaps her fingers. “Eyes up here.”

“Hm? I mean, yeah, sorry,” he blinks and smiles charmingly. Bonnie tries to hold back her smile. “Can I buy you a drink?” he asks. 

“I don’t know,” Bonnie hems, “I usually don’t let strange men who ogle me in bars buy me drinks.”

“Of course,” he moves closer, blue eye warm. “Where are my manners? I’m Kai.”

“Bonnie.”

“Bonnie,” Kai repeats as if tasting the syllables. “That’s cute.”

Bonnie smirks. “Thanks.”

“So Bonnie,” he takes her hand rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. “Can I get you another drink?”

She eyes him playfully and then her nearly empty glass. “I guess so.”

Kai grins. Apparently he likes when she plays hard to get. He signals to the bartender. “Can I get two double shots of vodka, a Guinness, and a whiskey...on the rocks?” He guesses and she nods. Once the man behind the bar starts their drinks Kai turns back to her.

“So, what’s a beautiful woman like you doing all alone?”

Bonnie rolls her eyes even as she smirks. “I’m actually meeting someone.”

“Oh. A friend?”

“He’s a little more than that.”

“Do you mind if I keep you company? I mean until he shows up?” 

She shrugs and thanks the bartender when he sets their drinks in front of them. “I guess so. I don’t think he’d like that very much, though.”

“He’ll be fine,” Kai assures her, downing a shot. “So Bonnie, what do you do?No. Let me guess.” He squints, pretending to wrack his brain. “I got it. A model.”

Bonnie laughs. “Are you always so smooth?”

“What do you mean?” Kai asks innocently.

“I bet you use that line on all the girls.”

“Only the exceptionally gorgeous ones, I swear,” and Bonnie finally laughs.

“You’re so-“

“Persuasive, suave, irresistible? Thank you.” They both laugh, and she sips her whiskey as he takes his second shot. 

“You forgot modest.”

“I didn’t want to brag.”

Bonnie shakes her head, amused. He opens his mouth to say something else but an unfamiliar voice nearby stops him. 

“Thomas?” Reflexively Kai looks up. 

“Oh my God, it is him, I told you.”

“Oh wow. Hey!”

“Hi,” Kai says smiling kindly at two pretty, young women who look like they are in their early to mid 20’s, one tall, willowy and blonde and the other short and dark with thick, glossy black hair. They both wear tight, short metallic dresses despite the weather outside. 

“I’m so sorry for interrupting,” the blonde says, “just- we loved you on The Journals.”

“You’re an actor?” Bonnie exclaims, feigning surprise. “Why didnt you say anything?”

“Thank you, I appreciate that,” Kai says after shooting Bonnie an entertained look.

“No problem. Could, we um, get a picture?”

“Sure,” Kai says easily. 

Both women turn to Bonnie. “Could you-?”

“Of course!” Bonnie says, swallowing the whiskey in her mouth and setting down her tumbler. She waits until they are crowded around Kai, smiling widely, and ignores how the blonde sets her hand a little too low on Kai’s stomach. “Say cheese.” They all smile widely and she snaps two photos. The one with smooth chocolate skin hands over her phone and Bonnie repeats the phrase.

“Thank you so much!” the shorter woman says. “Girl, I love New York,” she says to the blonde. “Definitely moving here.”

“That’s been happening a lot more recently,” Kai says after they’ve walked away and he actually looks a little sheepish.

Bonnie shakes her head amused. “Don’t look so embarrassed. I’m not surprised. Once they put you on the stream I’m sure The Journal has a lot of new viewers. I mean, that’s how I found you - I was late to the game.” She stirs the ice in her drink, eyeing him. “They put that show you worked on afterwards on there too. I noticed today after you left.”

“I’m still not used to it,” he admits. 

“Really?”

He nods. “That was the first project I worked on that had people stopping me in the street. It slowed down, but it’s ramped back up. I’m Thomas Fields again.”

“He was my favorite character,” Bonnie admits.

“He was an asshole,” Kai snorts.

“But a sexy asshole,” Bonnie says and Kai grins around the rim of his beer bottle. 

“Oh, so that’s how we got here?”

“Yup.” She pops the P and sips her drink. “I mean, besides the fact that you’re wildly talented and entertaining to watch, you are _pretty_ fun to look at.”

“I’m alright.” Bonnie rolls her eyes and Kai chuckles. “Seriously, though,” he says, “it was a difficult set to work on.”

“How so?”

“By the time I showed up the storyline was convoluted, the producers played favorites heavy, and the drama was,” he shakes his head. “They should have filmed that instead. It was fun, sometimes, but there was a _lot_ going on. That was the job that made me decide I was never going to date another actress again.”

“Ooh,” Bonnie leans in, immediately interested. “What happened?”

Kai grins. “‘What happened’ was pretty and blonde. And... the polite word is fiesty. That would’ve been fine if she wasn’t utterly unhinged.”

“Who was it?” Bonnie furrows her brow, trying to recall names. “There were like, six blondes on that show.” She downs the rest of her drink.

“Rebekah. Or you probably know her as Sylvia-“

Bonnie gasps. “You and Sylvia were actually a thing?” Kai nods. “Oh my - I was rooting for you two. The chemistry was really good.”

“On screen, yeah. In real life it was alright.”

“Just alright?”

He nods and leans on his forearms. “It was okay. Problem was, I went into it thinking we were having fun but she had a different idea.” Bonnie tilts her head. “I thought we were on the same page, I was deeply mistaken. My driver’s side window told me otherwise. And my bumper. And tail lights.”

Bonnie can’t help but laugh, liquor finally making it’s warm appearance and bringing her giggly side with it. “That’s what happens when you lay it down on someone the way you do and just take it away,” she jokes. “You can’t do that.”

Kai laughs. “Believe me,” he says, looking at her closely. “The way it was with her, it wasn’t nearly the same as it is with you.”

Bonnie leans in a little. “And how’s that?”

“We weren’t...connected,” he looks away, then down, smirking slightly before meeting her eyes again. “What we have, here, it wasn’t there.” Bonnie looks down, trying to hold back her smile. “I want to take you somewhere after this,” he says to her. 

“Should I be scared?” she jokes, looking back up. 

“No. Not this time at least,” he grins. “Just a little walk.”

“A walk?” Bonnie asks, surprised. “It’s freezing out.”

“It’s not that bad. You’ll like it, I promise.”

“I better,” Bonnie grumbles and he smiles at her. 

“You will,” he insists and he leans in kissing her lightly on the lips. She hums happily. 

“In that case, I’ll be right back.” 

He kisses her again. “Okay.”

—

When she exits the restroom a few minutes later Bonnie immediately sees the blonde who asked for the picture is back at Kai’s side. She flips her glossy hair over a shoulder as her shiny pink mouth moves. Bonnie leans against the wall and watches - from here she can tell Kai is being polite, his smile kind but not quite lighting up his eyes and Bonnie wonders when she became able to read his expressions so easily. She sees him peek over his shoulder as if looking for someone and she smirks. She isn’t sure why she hasn’t headed over yet, but she continues to watch through the crowd. 

The blonde reaches out a hand to toy with one of his buttons on his black shirt, and heat crawls up the back of Bonnie’s neck, licking at her ears. To Kai’s credit he leans back a little, minutely so her hand falls away, but she still speaks, eyes focused completely on him as if captivated. Bonnie watches as she moves closer, too close, and the heat at her neck flares red hot.

Rolling her eyes as she walks over, Bonnie slides smoothly in between the blonde and Kai when she reaches them. She leans her elbows on the bar signaling for the bartender. She smiles at the other woman who has backed up looking annoyed, turning towards her once catching the barkeep’s eye. “Hello, again.”

“Hi,” the blonde says, sounding a little miffed, her own smile mildly strained.

“What was your name again?” Bonnie asks sweetly. 

“Katie.”

“Katie,” Bonnie repeats. “Did you need another picture?” she asks innocently, and she feels Kai’s hand come to rest on her lower stomach. Warmth runs through her at the possesive touch and she continues. “Can we get you a drink?”

“Oh- no,” Sarah says, now sounding uncomfortable. “I’m ok.”

“Are you sure?” Bonnie asks, but this time her voice is a tad harder and she knows her expression isn’t as friendly when she looks Katie straight in the eyes. It’s a subtle mix she’s picked up from Caroline over the years. 

“Yeah, I am.” Katie smiles ruefully, waving weakly and then she’s gone, cutting her way through the crowd. 

“That was sexy,” Kai says into her ear, kissing the shell and sending a tingle down her spine.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Mhm,” he hums, but kisses her neck and then her jaw. “I like it.”

“Like what?”

“You know what.”

“I was being polite,” she insists.

“Okay, honey.” He kisses her throat again, smiling slightly and she smirks. Looking up, Bonnie sees Katie watching them from across the bar and she blinks languidly at her.

The bartender finally reaches them and she orders Kai another beer.

—

“Are drunken walks in the middle of the night going to be our thing,” Kai asks. 

“I can think of worse things,” Bonnie says, leaning her head on his shoulder. She’s tipsy, at best, she tells herself, even as liquid warmthadds an extra thick layer of protection against the cold. 

“Very true,” he muses. The streets are alive around them, more people out on the streets than usual at this time. The orange of the street lights cast a warm glow on the snow pushed to the side. 

“Where did you say we were going?” she asks him. 

“I didn’t, but I figured since Times Square was a no go we could do the next best thing.”

“Which is?”

“The bridge.”

“The bridge?” she repeats. 

They come up to the walkway that has about half a dozen people immediately ahead of them. 

“You’ve never walked the Brooklyn Bridge on New Years?” he asks sounding surprised.

“Nope,” she says, liquor making her feel warm and loose.

“You should be ashamed,” he says seriously. 

“I am,” she says somberly and they both crack small grins at the same time. He wasn’t the only one with the idea. People mill all about the walkway, probably a few drinks in just like they are. Some joke, laughing while taking pictures or some stare out into the River or skyline chatting. Bonnie soaks in the energy, feeling light and happy. 

“I actually haven’t done anything for New Years in years,” she admits, watching everyone.

“Really?” Kai looks down at her. “Why?”

Bonnie shrugs and takes a hold of his hand when he slips it into hers, lacing their fingers together. “Just... didn’t have anyone to celebrate with. Caroline’s still in the mountains right now, but the past three years she’s had parties here, in the city. But I’ve passed.”

“Because of Salvatore?”

Bonnie looks away towards the water. “Pretty much. I just wasn’t interested in being around that at midnight. Don’t they say how you bring in the year is how you spend it?” Kai nods. “Yeah, I wasn’t trying to wish that on myself.”

He chuckles. “If it makes you feel better, I didn’t do anything last year either.”

“How come?”

He shrugs. “Same reason.”

“So you just...”

“Laid on the couch with popcorn like an old man? Yeah, pretty much. My brothers and sisters get mad that I don’t come home.”

“Why don’t you, though? I’d love to have a few brothers and sisters to spend the holidays with. Being an only child gets lonely around this time of year.”

“I don’t know. Stubbornness, I guess. I want something different. I know I could be there and it would be fun. Annoying, but fun,” he smiles slightly, “and I love them. But I just feel this need to stay in the city. I feel like a different person when I’m back home.”

“Who are you there?” Bonnie asks quietly. 

“The old me. I used to be... angry. Really angry. Everywhere I pass in Seattle, old neighborhoods, certain streets, I just remember the trouble I used to get into.” Bonnie moves a little closer to him as the wind blows. “I was either at home fighting my dad or at school fighting someone else. I had this hair trigger _because_ I was fighting my dad all the time,” he explains. “If it wasn’t for acting, I’m sure I would have landed locked up somewhere, at some point.” Bonnie’s surprised to hear that - he seems so calm and collected now. “There’s residual stress in the air over there,” he continues. “I love seeing my brothers and sisters, I do, but I always feel like I’m slipping into different skin when I’m there. Old skin. Here I can just be me, even if I’m alone. The memories are left there.”

Bonnie nods. “I get it, sort of,” she muses. Another gust of wind blows and Kai sticks their intertwined hands into his coat pocket. “Where I grew up in Virginia was a really small, really white town.They had parades commemorating Confederate soldiers shooting up churches.” She snorts and shakes her head. “It was that weird dynamic where they celebrated their past while ignoring it at the same time. Even though everyone was ok, I always felt out of place... Besides me, Stefan, Caroline, and Damon, everyone I grew up with is still there. After my dad and Grams passed I didn’t have any family left there. Years ago, I went back, just to see how it felt...”

“How did it feel?” Kai asks.

“Small,” she says. “It felt so... small and suffocating. I felt like I was drowning,” Bonnie says quietly taking in the skyline. “I feel more at home here than anywhere I’ve ever been.”

Kai nods. “Yeah, it’s starting to feel like home here, finally,” he says, agreeing. 

“I’m a little surprised,” Bonnie says after a few moments of comfortable silence.

“About what?”

“Just thinking of you, by yourself, during New Years Eve. It’s hard to imagine.”

“Do I come across as wild and crazy,” he asks smirking.

Bonnie laughs a little. “Wild? Maybe before. Crazy, definitely.” He smiles and she bumps his side. “No, I mean,” she looks up at him, and asks the question she’s that’s been on her mind for days. “Why are you single?”

Kai doesn’t answer right away. Just looks out at the distant twinkling lights of the city as they walk slowly. “Because. I want something real,” he says finally. “This career, the people I meet, it feels so fake sometimes. I love acting, I love preforming, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes I feel like I’m outside of my body. I feel so detached. It’s starting to feel the same way when I meet people; it’s like both of us are outside of our bodies just playing a role. ‘Oh, you’re an actor? Me too? Let’s hook up.’ Then the there’s the people who are interested in me that I don’t feel the same about, which is typical. But the few that do interest me happen to have seen my work.”

“Why is that surprising? You were on two pretty popular TV shows.”

“I know,” Kai exclaims. “It just still hasn’t connected yet. Still. I wouldn’t mind if they could separate me from my character. If I had a dollar for every time it turned into, ‘I loved Thomas, can I fuck you and pretend it’s him...?” He laughs a little. “I sound ungrateful.”

“No, actually, you dont.” She’s heard things like this before, even from Damon. But where Kai seems staunchly against indulging in the power play Damon leans into it. 

“I just want something...” he looks down at Bonnie. “Different.”

Something inside of her relaxes at his words. 

“I get it,” she tells him.

“Do you?”

“Yeah,” she nods. “You want love.”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

“Most. But you sound like you want the real deal.” She glances up at him. “I actually didn’t think it existed, real love. Despite the Disney movies.” He looks down at her. “My mom ran out on me and my dad. Caroline’s mom got a divorce because she found out her husband is gay. He’s married now, by the way, but not to the guy he left her for. Damon and Stefan’s father- well...” She trails off, remembering the bruises Damon would sport on his ribs on occasion. “I wouldn’t wish him on any woman. On anyone period. I don’t know how Lily took it for so long...” She pushes them out of her mind. “Fact is, I wasn’t surrounded by the ‘ideal’ so it was always a pipe-dream, that True Love thing.”

“What changed your mind?”

Bonnie smiles. “My best friend got married to my other best friend. They are so... happy.” She remembers tearing up at their wedding as she stood next to Caroline who had tears of joy slipping down her own face as she recited her vows. “Then they had my goddaughter and they’re even happier. Peaceful. That’s what I imagine love to be, that underlying peace. Knowing you’ll get back to that peace even during the tough times. I never saw that growing up... I want it but I don’t know if I’ll ever get it.”

“Why?” Kai sounds genuinely confused. 

She shrugs. “I just think it’s rare. Caroline and Stefan are one in a million. Everyone has different paths. Sometimes I think maybe I’m just meant to be this workaholic making other people’s dreams come true.” Kai doesn’t say anything but she can tell he’s listening closely. Debating if she wants to tell him what else is on her mind she looks down at her boots. Why not? She’s said so much already. “Sometimes I feel like I wasted so much time and it’s too late...” she admits. 

Kai squeezes her hand in his pocket. “Have you been around you? It’s definitely not too late.” Bonnie smiles, bashfully. 

“Do you think you’ll ever find it?” she asks, directing the attention back to him. “That kind of love? The one that comes with the picket fence and 2.5 kids?”

“Yes,” he says, almost immediately. 

Her mouth twists in a rueful smile. “So you’re definitely a romantic. I feel like a downer now.”

He smiles slightly. “You’re good,” he assures her, looking forward now. “And the whole being ‘a romantic’ thing is pretty new.”

Bonnie grins. “How new?” she teases. 

Kai scratches at his eyebrow, and lets out a chuckle to himself. “Pretty new,” he mutters and when she looks up at him Bonnie’s pulse leaps at his expression.

“How new?” she needles again, playfully, but she feels this of creeping sense of urgency. 

Instead of answering he grins broadly. They stop walking and she leans against the bridge, looking up at him. He brackets her with his arms on either side of her body. “So, I’m still single?” He says it like a question, an eyebrow raised. 

“Are you?” 

“You tell me,” he says. “You asked me why am I still single.” Bonnie looks to the side. “Yeah, remember that?” he smirks. “So am I still single, because I was under the impression..?” He trails off. 

Bonnie’s mouth twitches into a smile and she looks back at him, into his sparkling eyes level with her own. “Are you trying to get me to ask you to be my boyfriend?”

“Oh,” he sounds surprised, “you want me to be your boyfriend?”

Bonnie snorts. “You’re ridiculous.” 

He holds her face with one hand, squeezing her cheeks together slightly and she feels so small in that moment. “Am I?” he murmurs, looking at her mouth and she licks her lips.

She nods as he leans in “Yeah, you are,” she whispers.

“Yeah, I am,” he hums and he kisses her. She reaches up to place her hands on his jaw, and she tugs playfully on his earlobes.

“I think you’re supposed to ask me,” she teases, pulling away slightly.

“Am I?” he kisses her again, pressing close.

She nods, grinning and leans away again, cupping her hands over his ears when the wind blows and he puts his hand back on the bridge near her side, still playful, looking considering. His dark blue eyes meet her green, straight on. “Bonnie Bennett, will you do me the great honor-“

She laughs and he does too, but then he shushes her warmly. “I’m serious,” he says and his voice shifts a little in tone. “Will you start off my year in the best way possible and say you’ll be mine. Only mine.”

“Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?” she asks, feigning nonchalance even though her heart is skipping as if he’d asked something else and she strokes his cheeks with her thumbs. 

“I am.”

“I’ll think about it-“ she giggles wildly when he grabs her close and buries his cold nose in her throat, placing ticklish kisses and nips on the skin. “Ok, ok, ok,” she says, breathlessly. “Yes!”

“Yes, what,” he laughs, holding her close and she rests her head on his chest. 

“I’ll be yours.” 

“Thank you,” he says quietly. 

She sees him check his watch. “Oh, it’s 11:59.” He turns her around and moves to stand behind her. “It’s going to start soon.” All around them everyone else has slowed or stopped entirely taking out phones or standing against the railing. Kai has her boxed in and she looks down at the water far below and then back up at the skyline. Everyone on the bridge begins to count down from thirty.

“Here we go,” he whispers in her ear and she shivers. He kisses her neck. 

Theres a high pitched whistle followed by an explosion of colors in the air and she jumps. Fireworks. There are dozens and dozens of massive fireworks being let off across the river and they have the perfect view. She’s captivated by the show, red, yellow, white, green, pink, one after the other, glorious and bright, bursting loudly.

She feels Kai’s hand come to rest on her lower stomach again and she loves the thrill that runs up her spine at the touch. She leans back against him and looks up. He looks down at her smiling. As they look at each other his eyes soften and another one of her walls crumbles to dust.

_He wants love too_. It echos in her head. Does this mean it’s okay to fall for him? Because she thinks she wants to. This unfamiliar ache in her soul wants her to stop being cautious and just go all in. 

She looks back out at the lights bursting in the air and relaxes fully into him. He wraps an arm around her shoulders and she feels him press his mouth to her crown. He kisses her ear, cold from the wind, and moves to her throat. He nuzzles her, lips pressing softly over and over. She reaches up to run her fingers through his hair and he tongues that spot on her throat. Her stomach flutters and heat pools between her legs. Her hand flexes and she feels his smile against her skin. 

—

As soon as the door opens she pulls him over the threshold and their lips press against each other. She laughs, tipsy, into his mouth and he grips her hip, steering them to the bedroom. They stop a couple of times to press each other into a wall, Bonnie unbuttoning his shirt and pushing it off his shoulders while he runs his hands over her body kissing her deeply, loving the way she clings to him, her arms wrapped around his neck. 

When they finally make it to the bedroom they close the door on Blueberry, hands still scrambling. They’re impatient, Bonnie tugging on his zipper before he pulls her tight sweater up over her head. She manages to get the button undone on his jeans and he pulls down her zipper.

He kicks off his pants and she pushes him down onto his back. He watches her pull off her jeans and lets her pull his boxer briefs halfway down his thighs. When she straddles him he flips them over and pushes her pink lace panties to the side as she uses her feet to push his underwear down further down his legs. She takes a hold of him gently, guiding him and he slides inside of her slowly, exhaling as he does. 

He imagines this is what an addict who just got a fix feels like with the way peace floods through his body at the slick, hot feel of her. She arches her back as he fills her up to the hilt and then relaxes into the sheets looking blissed out and sighing, sounding relived. Does it feel like this for her too? Like taking a deep breath after being underwater for a little too long. Does she feel like she’s got something exotic and intoxicating flowing through her veins when they’re wrapped up in each other? _Is it the same?_

She pulls him down by the back of his neck and they kiss hungrily. She lifts her hips to meet his thrusts and he feels like his world is spinning. _What is she doing to me_ , he thinks vaguely, not caring about the answer. It just keeps getting better and better with her and as she pulls him even closer, kissing him, moaning desperately he knows he’s never going to give this up. 

They inhale each other’s exhales, hips in synch, heavily lidded eyes fixed on the other’s and its like he’s hypontized. He can’t break the gaze and neither can she, even as her eyelids flutter whenever he hits a certain spot. 

“Kai...”

“Bon..”

They both speak at the same time and her muscles tighten around him. She does it again and again, and Kai squeezes his eyes shut, concentrating on controlling his breathing. She bites at his chin, at his neck, sucking the skin there while running her nails down his arms. He finds her mouth again and he drinks her down while shifting his hips. She lets out a sob of pleasure at the new angle sounding as if he’s taking her breath away. 

He was never going to give this up. 

This was his.

She was all his. 

_All mine._


	7. Hey, Neighbor

When her alarm blares at its usual five-thirty a.m Bonnie groans into her pillow. Outside is still too dark and she knows far too cold.

This past week has felt like a dream and now the real world is screaming at her to wake up. She feels Kai curl around her, burying his face into her messy hair and pulling her back into his chest. Her fingers fumble with the phone, eventually hitting the snooze button and she melts back into him, already dozing. There’s barely a sliver of consciousness between her and falling back into a deep slumber when it goes off again. 

“Nooo,” she groans. She feels Kai shift once more, breathing slowly, somehow still asleep through both instances of shrieking song birds and she turns the alarm off again. Today she goes back to work and for the first time in a long, _long_ time, she wants to say fuck it and play hooky. Especially when she feels a certain part of Kai’s anatomy poking her right between her thighs. 

Flashes of manilla folders and a packed, color coded schedule fills her mind and she sighs. There’s no skipping today. Two weeks was enough. Stretching, she goes entirely taut and then relaxes completely into Kai again. He shifts, pressing into her lower back now and she smiles sleepily to herself before rolling over; she’s got to start her day regardless. _Might as well start it off in the best way possible_ , she thinks reaching her hand down between them. 

—

“Good morning, Maria!” Bonnie chirps happily and the first thing she notices is her assistant’s hair is now a shiny silver-white.

“Hey, Ms. Bonnie!” Maria smiles brightly from her desk right outside of Bonnie’s office and stands. They hug briefly and walk into Bonnie’s office together.

“I love your sweater,” Bonnie says. It’s eclectic, not something she would usually wear, but this one has an appeal. It’s what a Cosby sweater would look like if it were stylish and featured on Living Single. It’s fitted perfectly, not too tight and not too loose. The fit is actually impeccable. “I’ve been meaning to ask you - where do you get your pieces?”

Maria blushes. “Oh, thank you. I make them.”

“Seriously?” Maria nods. “Even that gorgeous blue top you wore last spring? With the sleeves?” Maria nods again and Bonnie’s eyebrows shoot up. “And you’re working for me why, exactly?” She takes off her coat and hangs it up. 

“What do you mean?” Maria asks.

“I mean, you should be on Project Runway or doing an apprenticeship with Yves St. Laurent. You should be showing that talent off.”

“Thanks,” Maria says, shyly and Bonnie smiles. “Are you having a good morning?” Maria asks and Bonnie has a quick flash of pressing Kai against the black tiles of the shower, hot water cascading down on them. 

“I’m having a great morning,” she smiles, peaceful. “How was your holiday?”

“It was okay,” Maria sits at the chair in front of her desk and Bonnie sits in her chair, bending to turn on the computer. “Just went home and saw some family. Nothing compared to yours.”

“What do you mean? Bonnie asks, straightening up and smoothing out her black, asymmetrical Dior blouse. 

“You. All over the blogs,” Maria explains. “With Mr. Salvatore.”

Bonnie waves her hand, laughing slightly. “Oh that? That was nothing,” she dismisses. “I swear, the paparazzi is ridiculous.”

“Oh,” Maria says looking a little crestfallen. 

Bonnie smirks. “Yeah, sorry to burst that bubble, honey. It was a family slash work thing.”

“I, uh, Googled. It said you two used to...” she bites her lip, probably thinking she’s pushing her luck. Bonnie just shakes her head. “That was when we were kids.” she smiles, recalling Damon’s lies to Nora. “He’s like a brother to me.” Her eyes catch on the stacks on her desk and her brain switches into work mode. “Listen, we need to set up interviews. Like two weeks ago. Can you write up an ad? I’m going to give you what I’m looking for and you can work your magic?”

She checks her email as Maria begins to jot down notes. There are eight callback lists and Damon’s is among them. She clicks it immediately and scans the list and her stomach leaps in happiness at seeing Kai’s name. “And here,” she prints out all the lists and keeps one fourth of Damon’s. “Call these people for callbacks. I’ll call the rest. And that’s really it for now. I’ll give you time to catch up on anything you left for after the break.”

“Gotcha,” Maria says and gets up. “You look really good this morning. Are you using a new concealer or blush? Highlight? You’re all... glowy.”

Bonnie smirks. “I finally got some rest,” she says. “Sleep, Maria. Sleep and eat as much as you can.”

Maria laughs as she exits Bonnie’s office. 

—

She’s scribbling a list of specific qualifications desired for the openings available on a legal pad when there’s a knock on her door. “Come in,” she calls, preoccupied. The door opens as she flicks the pen up and down between two fingers. Looking up she’s expecting Kwame who she hasn’t seen all morning, or Maria, or another employee, but instead she sees the last person she’s expecting.

“Damon?” Her pulse quickens and she feels her brow twist in confusion and concern when she sees him standing in her doorway. He’s also holding flowers. “What are you doing here?” She tilts her head, curiously. “Is Maria out there?” She’s supposed to call whenever Bonnie has an unexpected client or a walk-in. 

“Hey, BonBon,” he says, smiling easily. Instinct has her smiling back, but it’s heavily tinted with confusion. “And don’t get upset with Maria; I begged her not to give you a head’s up. Wanted to keep it a surprise.” 

“Well, I am surprised,” she says, feeling a smidge of annoyance at him using his status to blindside her assistant. “But hey, how are you?” She gets up from her desk to greet him, giving him an air kiss and pulling out of his grasp smoothly when he begins to wrap his arm around waist under the guise of not wanting to crush the flowers between them. “Those are pretty,” she says, looking down at them. “Who are they for?”

“You?” He sounds a little confused and amused. “Are Dahlias not your favorite anymore?”

“Oh, yeah. They are.” And these are gorgeous, a red bouquet that fades seamlessly into peach and pink like the sunset. Bonnie loves them, but she refrains. “Maria,” she calls and before she even finishes saying her name, the younger woman appears. “Can you kindly take these from Mr. Salvatore? Put them in some water, maybe? In a lovely vase.”

Maria nods and carefully takes the flowers from Damon. 

“You ok?” Damon asks her when Maria leaves the room. 

“Mhm,” Bonnie hums, going back to sit at her desk. Damon reaches to close her office door. “Leave it,” she says sharply, then a little softer, “I’m a little hot. I keep telling them to stop setting the thermostat so high.” She hates herself a little right now for noticing how good he looks with his hair cut a little shorter. Bonnie’s always loved it when he wore his hair out of his face. Tearing her eyes away from his hair she chooses to look into his eyes, framed by long, dark lashes. Ah, that’s why she likes his hair short - it shows off those eyes. She clears her throat and smiles tightly. 

Damon eyes her and sits on the couch. She brushes her hair over both of her shoulders and laces her fingers together, resting her chin on them. She smiles politely now, forcing herself to relax. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure and complete surprise?”

“I just wanted to stop by, say Happy New Year in person.”

“Happy New Year,” she says, nuetral smile still in place. 

“I also wanted to discuss a couple of things.”

“Like?”

“Well, _Rinascita_ for one.”

“Oh, we could have done that through email, Damon. Even a Facetime,” she chuckles. 

“You’re the one who always says I don’t stop by enough.”  _Now he listens_ , she thinks. “Besides, I like to work closely, when I can, with everyone involved.”

“Ah,” she says, comprehension dawning. This was his process - she could respect that. “Well, what did you want to discuss? I got the callbacks today. I noticed you didn’t cut back that much at all.”

“Yeah, I’m having a hard time deciding. Both Dirkin and I.”

“So you’ve finally decided on the other producer.” He nods. “So you both wanted my input?”

“Yeah, and soon, preferably. I’m actually here to invite you to a dinner, on Friday night. To really discuss things.”

Bonnie is torn. She wants to meet Baldwin Dirkin, another big name in the business she has yet to encounter, but she’d rather not have dinner with Damon. “Oh, we can do that over a conference call. Or now. I have time.”

“I would, but I can’t right now,” he says. “I literally only had time to drop those off,” he says referring to the flowers, “and to see your face for a minute. But I’m going to be in town for a while.”

She begins to frown but stops. “You are? Why?”

He shrugs. “I have an entire house I’ve barely stepped foot in in Noho and _Rinascita_ is all I’m working on now. It just makes sense.”

“Yeah,” Bonnie says faintly realizing Damon will be residing just a hop, skip, and jump away from her for the time being. “That’s- it does. Make sense.” Her brain scrambles for purchase. Damon never stays in the city. Rarely. 

“Besides,” he rises from the sofa and moves to sit on the corner of her desk, closer to her, his hands resting in his lap, “I feel like we barely saw each other in Aspen and when we did it was... off.”

“Well, you were with your girlfriend,” she reminds him. “So no big deal. How is Nora? I wish we could have spent a little more time together.” 

“She’s great,” Damon says. “She’s here too, in the city somewhere,” he waves his hand dismissively. “She’s probably going crazy with my card as we speak,” he shrugs. 

_Good_ , Bonnie thinks, _rack it up._ “I like her,” she says instead. “She seems sweet and smart.”

“She is,” he agrees. “But still,” he reaches out to take her hand, “I feel like we missed out. I missed our bonding time.” _You always miss me because you’re never around,_ she thinks. “Now we can catch up,” he says. 

She draws her hand back, smiling. “Maybe,” she says, noncommittedly. “I’m swamped.”

“I’m sure we can carve out some time,” he says. “I’ll be right in town.”

“Maybe,” she says again in the same tone, smiling. Damon looks at her for a long moment and she forces herself not to look away. 

“Everything ok?” he asks finally. 

She nods. “Everything is great. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Because you’re acting...” he trails off, those sharp blue eyes assessing her. 

Bonnie tilts her head, innocently. “Hm?”

“Nothing,” he says, laughing a little to himself. He rises from his perch on her desk. “Listen, I’ll call or text you about the details for dinner later.” 

“Ok,” she says, relieved that he’s making his way out. She startles a little when he presses a kiss to her forehead and he gives her a funny look. 

“You sure you’re ok?”

“I’m fine,” she insists. “Just not feeling too hot.”

He looks at her for another very long moment and again she holds his gaze. “Need anything?” he asks carefully. 

She shakes her head. “Just some rest.”

“Ok,” he says, but it comes out a little too softly, and that lick of suspiciousness wets the word. 

“I’ll talk to you later then?” she asks, smiling in a way she knows warms her eyes. 

“Yeah,” he nods. 

“Ok. Be safe. Text me.” And she looks away from him and to her computer. He walks out and while she feels a little better, she still feels unsettled. She wipes her forehead, where he kissed her. 

Fifteen minutes later her phone goes off. She looks down and sees a preview of a message.

_ Kai: Dinner tonight? My place?  _

She smiles, stomach fluttering, and she texts back. 

_ Of course.  _

_ Kai: Homemade veggie lasagna sound good? _

_ It sounds perfect. _

She sets her phone down and reminds herself to throw an overnight bag in the back of her car. Just in case. 

“Maria,” she calls as the woman passes by with the vase full of flowers. “You can keep those. But can you take them home? I’m allergic.”

Maria nods, smiling widely. 

—

Kai’s townhouse is one in a row of many, the exposed red brick contrasting beautifully with the tall green plants on his doorstep. She rings the bell and looks down the quiet, clean street. A few people walk down the sidewalk but the area is calm. The complete opposite of where she lives, life bursting aloud as soon as you walked out onto the street. It would be a great place to raise a family, she thinks idly. 

The lock disengages and Kai stands in the doorway when she looks back. Her heart skips happily at the sight of him. “Hey,” she says. 

“Hey,” he steps back and she steps in. Kai kisses her immediately, before he even closes the door and she smiles. 

“I missed you,” she says. 

He kisses her again. “I missed you too.” He pecks her on the temple and closes the door behind her. 

Inside is simple and clean. There’s one more tall plant in the corner and from what she can see a black leather couch and a couple of matching chairs. He has a tv even bigger than hers and a black bookshelf that’s nearly overflowing. There are paintings dotted around the walls that she runs her eyes over, interested in getting a closer look. 

It’s spacious but not overly so, which is expected for Brooklyn and perfect for a bachelor. She looks up the stairs and wonders what his bedroom looks like. He takes her coat and hangs it up in the closet and she drops her purse on his couch. 

“It’s nice in here,” she says. “This must have cost of fortune, such a nice neighborhood in Brooklyn. With this much space.”

“I try not to think about it,” he admits and she laughs. “Feel free to take a look around. I have sauce on the stove.” He kisses her crown as she passes and she does take the invitation to poke around a little. 

“I’m impressed. You can manage to keep plants alive. I could kill an Ikea plant.”

“Aren’t those plastic?”

“Mhm,” she hums and wanders over to his bookshelf. He has a wide array, the selection varying and she spots more than a few she’s read and owns herself. Her eyes are drawn to a row of older thick tomes near the bottom. Running a finger alongone of the spines she feels raised patterns. Something niggles in the back of her mind and she pulls out a dark blue one. The weight is heavy and the pages delicate and faded yellow. There’s page after page of sketches of vials, fauna, flora, and what looks to be planets and intricate constellations in faded ink. Some of the words are in English, some in a different language Bonnie recognizes as Latin. There are chants and recipes dispersed throughout the text.

“Why do you have grimores?” she asks Kai from the living room and kicks off her heels.

“Grimores?” he questions from the kitchen and she makes her way on in, placing her shoes near the door, still scanning the pages. 

“A grimore. A spellbook.”

“Oh, my ancestors were a little,” he whistles ‘coocoo’ seeing the book in her hands. “They thought they were witches. They had covens and everything.”

Bonnie stares at him. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah.” He waves a zucchini at her. “Better question is - how do _you_ know what a spellbook is? Is that why you’re so enchanting? Have you put a spell on me?” 

She smirks. “No, but I have a few of my own. My Grams, she was a professor. She taught Supernatural Studies and Phenomena at Whitmore College back in Virginia. She had a lot of these, from different bloodlines. Most are in storage,” she says softly. “My family thought they were witches too - some still do. No covens though. Some Bennetts still practice.... sometimes I suspect Grams did too.”

“Why do you think that?”

“I don’t know,” she muses. “You’d have to have known her. She had this..mystical air about her. She just knew things. She spoke things into existence a lot. I just chalked it up to coincidence.” She carefully closes the book. “She would rub oils on me, light candles for protection, pray for me, have me drink special teas. But those were just kooky things, you know? Just superstitions passed down from generation to generation. But after she died, I was clearing her place out and I found a few of these in her closet and in her nightstand. I thought they were collectables, but then I recognized her hand writing and our last name. Something in me couldn’t bear to lock them away, so I took them home. I also have this necklace; you’ve seen it, hanging on my bedroom wall next to the vanity. Big and yellow?” He nods. “I never wear it, but it has this energy to it. It makes me feel close to her.”

She runs her fingers over the cover of his grimore. She can make out the word _Gemini_ with the roman numeral sign for the number two. “I thought you were an Aries.” 

“I am,” he says, chopping broccoli. “Why? Oh,” he gestures towards the book again. “The Gemini thing? The twin gene runs in my family and from way back. Their clever nod, I’m guessing.”

Bonnie nods. “That’s weird. Not the twin thing, the grimore thing. You dont run into these.”

“I won’t curse you I promise.”

“You better not,” she grumbles playfully. “I’ve dabbled,” she admits 

“In curses?”

“In spells. Fooled around when I was younger.”

“Anything ever work?”

“No,” she laughs. “But one time I swore I made some feathers move. Float.”

“Feathers?”

“Yeah, I ripped open an old pillow and stared at the feathers for, I swear, about ten straight minutes. I swore up and down to Caroline that I made something happen. I got lightheaded and everything. Turns out I just got a nosebleed.” 

He chuckles. “Maybe you weren’t setting your intention and following through,” he teases. 

“How do you know about that?”

“I have a bookshelf full of family grim-whatevers. I’ve browsed. _And_ I’ve seen _The_ _Craft_ , thank you very much.” Bonnie laughs again, walking to stand beside him and hops up to sit on the counter. 

“Enough fairytales. I have good news.” She says and he looks up at her pausing in his thinly slicing of carrots on the mandalay. “You made it to screenshots.” She smiles widely when he pumps his fist and hops once on his feet. 

“Yes,” he says. “Yes, yes, _yes_.” She watches, amused, loving this excited side of him. “ _Fuck_ yeah.” He kisses her hard on the cheek. 

“Congratulations. But there’s still a lot of people so you’re still fighting. So, yeah, we need that scruff back. And have you been sneaking weight when you go to the gym?”

Kai smiles, sheepishly “No?”

“Lay off of em’,” she says, sternly. “You’re still so...” she looks at his sculpted arms in his short sleeves and his strong shoulders, “ridiculously, perfectly fit.”

“It’s hard,” he whines slightly. “They call to me. ‘ _Just two reps. Just maintain’_ ” he says in a high pitched voice which she assumes is how he imagines the taunting weights that lure him like sirens sound. 

“I know, just,” she rubs his arm. “Try to be less convenientally sexy. Please.”

“I’ll try. But I need to something to substitute that. It helps me get my frustrations out.”

“We’ll figure out something,” she says, flirty and she leans over. 

“Will we?” he murmurs, leaning in too. 

“Yeah,” she says, meeting him in the middle, kissing him sweetly. 

“Even with less weight you’re gorgeous,” she says when he pulls back. “How?”

“God, baby. He blessed me.”

She rolls her eyes and snags a piece of slivered carrot. She nibbles on it and considers how to tell Kai about dinner with Damon. She toys with the idea of telling him that Damon actually stopped by and with flowers, but quickly decides against it. Omitting it all seems to be the best option right now, while this is still new. She doesn’t want Kai to think he has any competition whatsoever, because he doesn’t.

“So,” she begins. “I have a work thing this Friday night.” She snags another piece of carrot. 

“What kind of work thing,” he says, stirring the homemade tomato sauce that smells amazing. 

“It’s a dinner.”

“Sounds fancy.”

She nibbles on the end of the veggie. “It’s for _Rinascita_. Damon is going to be there.”

Kai pauses for a millisecond then he picks up the black pepper. “Ok,” he says, sprinkling some into the pot. The silence stretches out in a mildly painful way and she hates that his mood might have dipped. 

“I have to,” she explains even though he doesn’t ask her to. “It’s work.”

“I know,” he says and he doesn’t sound upset. _But he is an actor_ , she reminds herself. 

She touches his arm and he looks up. The intensity in his eyes makes her heart thump.  “You okay?”

“Yeah. Of course,” he says. 

“Come here,” she says tugging on his shirt and he turns the heat down on the stove, moving to stand in between her thighs. “It’s about the movie. And casting - the other producer will be there.” He nods amiably. “What are you thinking?” she asks, biting her lip. 

“Honestly?” He reaches up to tug her lip loose of her teeth. “I don’t like that you’re having dinner with your ex. And I hate to think that you feel a little uncomfortable. But I can’t really say anything about it.”

“Yes, you can.”

He tilts his head. “No. I can’t. This is part of your job and it’s linked to mine. Even if it didn’t involve me, I’m not about to complain about it. I know how these things go. I’m fine.”

“But you’re not completely fine,” she leans in.

“I’m mostly fine,” he amends.

“I want you to be totally fine.” She rubs his jaw. “You know I don’t feel anything for him anymore, right?” Kai nods but looks away briefly. “Hey,” she says softly. “I’m serious.”

“I know,” he says evenly. She studies him and knows instinctually that she won’t get anymore out of him. She wraps her arms around his neck. “I’m fine,” he insists.

“Okay,” she says and kisses him again, deciding not to push it. 

He moves away and begins to butter the casserole pan. “Are _you_ fine?”

She nods. He shoots her a look. “I’m serious. It’s just work.”

“What’s this dinner about exactly?” he asks, sounding interested. 

“Just discussing the final contenders. There are more than expected. So logistics, benefits,downsides. Just choices, first, second, third, ect. Also networking - I’m meeting Baldwin Dirkin; he’s the other producer on this. So you know, the usual.”

Kai nods. “Sounds fun.”

“It is. It’s invigorating; I like being so involved in the process.” Kai nods again, listening closely. “Especially this time. It’s like working on a small project even though it’s probably going to be huge. I like intimate work...situations like that.” She immediately regrets her choice of words. “I mean-“

“Bon, I’m fine. I promise.” He grins at her. “You sound excited. I like when you sound excited. And it’s crazy but, believe it or not, I’m confident in this.” He gestures between them. “In us.” Bonnie feels something warm and soft unfurl inside of her. “I trust you - it’s not you. It’s him. He just seems... handsy.”

Bonnie laughs. “I’ll stay out of reach, promise.”

“He’ll sneak one in there,” he says. 

“He’ll probably try,” she admits remembering him kissing her forehead earlier. 

Kai stops buttering and looks up at her again, expression serious. “Seriously though, you call me, if anything.”

“Kai, I’ll be fine. Besides you can’t just show up during that-“

“I will if you call me.”

“But-“

“I don’t give a fuck about that job if it means-“ he presses his lips together. “You just call me if you need anything, ok?”

She nods, body warming pleasantly and he nods back once. 

“Can I come over afterwards?” she asks, shyly. “When I’m done with boring work stuff?” He smiles a little and starts to layer pasta and sauce in the dish. 

“Is that what you really want to do?”

Bonnie nods and slides off of the counter top. Moving to wrap her arms around him from behind, she hugs him and buries her face into the soft fabric of his shirt. He smells so good, fresh and comforting, faint traces of his cologne lingering on cotton. “Yeah, that’s what I want to do. But only if you don’t mind.”

She hears the smile in his voice. “You know I dont mind.”

“Good.” She kisses between his shoulder blades. “I’m going to shower before dinner. I mean, if that’s ok.”

“I got some of that fancy soap you like,” is his answer and she closes her eyes, a hopelessly sappy feeling, thick like honey, dripping in her at his words. “It’s underneath the sink. And that lotion. I can’t believe you spend that much on that stuff.” 

“Thank you, Bubs.” The nickname slips easily from her mouth. 

“No problem.” Arms still around him she peaks around his torso and looks up. He bends to kiss her gently and they both smile. “So you’re staying the night?” She nods. “Good.”

Smiling, she snags some shredded cheese and makes her way upstairs. 

—

While the smell of her soap wafts through his house Bonnie’s phone goes off in the living room. It rings as he slips the lasagna in the oven. He starts to put the dishes in the sink, about to start washing them, when her phone stops ringing and immediately starts again. He turns on the hot water and lets the sink fill up as he makes his way into the living room. He looks downand he feels a rushing in his ears when he reads **_Damon_** on the caller ID with a picture of the man smiling candidly. He watches it ring and then stop again. He looks the time - it’s 8:37. He’s turning away when a notification sound comes through for a text. The preview says, ‘ _we’ll do Uva at 8:30.’_ Another notification comes through right after. 

_I’ll bring Cala Lilies next time,_ it reads.

Kai’s brow frurrows. 

_Cala Lilies next time?_ Which means he got her other flowers this time? This time, meaning when? Did he see her at some point? Today?  She didn’t mention that. His nostrils flare and he stares at the preview until the screen dims and goes black. He itches to pick up the phone - it’s unlocked, but he resists. The sink is full, spilling onto the empty side when he goes back to the kitchen. Scrubbing the dishes he listens to the shower upstairs and thinks about Salvatore’s message. _Cala Lilies next time._

He probably meant something else. If he stopped by her office with flowers _today_ she would have mentioned that. She promised she would tell him things like that. _Cala Lilies next time_. He lets himself linger on the thought but soon the shower stops and twenty minutes later she’s wearing a pair of his socks and one of his T-shirts that falls just above her knees, sliding into his kitchen like Tom Cruise, grinning. 

“It smells so good,” she says sitting cross legged at his kitchen table. “I can’t wait to try it. We should have a night where we cook together and not skim pieces while distracting the other.”

Kai smiles and leans on the counter. “Just let me know when.”

—

The next evening Bonnie calls Caroline. “Oh, sister of mine,” she proclaims playfully when her best friend picks up. “Are you free tonight? I miss Sasha. And you, of course.”

“Ms. Thing is free tonight. And I’ll be around,” Caroline jokes. 

“Perfect. I wanted to stop by. Get my daily fill of baby kisses.”

“Well, she goes down by seven-thirty now. You think you can make it?”

“I’ll make sure that I do. And I’ll find some use with you once she’s out cold.”

Caroline laughs. “I’ll see you soon. Pizza from San Matteo?”

“As always.”

-

Sasha presses her face against Bonnie’s cheek, gummy mouth moving, babbling. 

“Hello to you too, my love,” she coos. “I love you. I missed you.” Sasha claps her hands, then hugs Bonnie’s face. “Thank yooou,” she says hugging her goddaughter close and dipping them. Sasha laughs and Bonnie grins. She looks up at Caroline. “How are you doing?” she asks, her friend. “How was your New Years?”

“It was good,” Caroline says from the couch besides her. “Stefan and I snuggled up and set up camp on the balcony. This one was out cold but she’ll stay up next year, probably. What about you?”

“Just some drinks. Oh, and Kai took me to the Brooklyn bridge to watch the fireworks across the River. It was great.”

“Aww, that sounds romantic,” Caroline says, sounding pleased. 

“It was,” Bonnie smiles. “We’re official now.” Caroline smiles. “But tell me about you,” Bonnie insists. “What’s going on with work? Have you found a nanny who speaks Japanese yet?”

“No,” Caroline sighs. “I’m trying to find someone with the right energy but we’re not having any luck. And you know how particular Stefan is.” 

“You’re both picky,” Bonnie reminds her. 

“Of course, but he’s worse than me on this. I can’t blame him.” Bonnie looks down at Sasha who lays peacefully in her arms, sucking on her own little fist.

“Me either.”

“And work is the same. I did want to ask you something though.”

Sasha cuddles Bonnie close, resting her head on Bonnie chest, and Bonnie cradles her closely. “What’s up?”

“Your boyfriend? Does he model?”

Bonnie wasn’t expecting that. “Uh. I have no idea. He’s never mentioned it.”

“Does he have any modeling pictures? Full on head to toe, clothes, underwear only? Swimsuit?”

Bonnie shrugs. “I have no idea. Probably. Maybe?”

“Recent ones, I mean.”

“I can ask,” Bonnie asks, a tad confused. “Why, what’s up?”

“A campaign came onto my radar and I think he’d be good. I was serious in Aspen - he has the ‘look.’ He should go out, go to castings. How is his walk?”

Bonnie laughs. “I have no idea how his walk is. Honestly, I don’t think he’s into modeling, but I’ll ask.”

“Yeah, let me knows what he says. Seriously, I want some shots of him if he’s willing.”

“I will. I promise.”

There’s a comfortable lull and Bonnie looks down at her goddaughter. She really is perfect, with her delicate features, button nose, and wispy dark hairs. If her eyes were open they’d be shinning a beautiful hazel. Currently, her eyelids are closed as she falls asleep in Bonnie’s arms tugging at Bonnie’s hair gently, barely wrapping her first in the long strands. “What’s it like?” Bonnie asks suddenly. 

“What what like?” Caroline asks, going through her phone.

“Having a baby? Literally having a baby, being a mother? Being a wife?”

Caroline takes a moment to answer. “It feels like... it feels like I was always supposed to be one. But before Stefan and Sasha I didn’t know that. I remember being so scared when I knew she was coming. I was even terrified _giving_ birth. But the second I heard her cry and saw her tiny, red scrunched up face, screaming bloody murder I was in love. And when it comes to being a wife sometimes it’s easy and sometimes it’s hard. Just like being a mom, it’s day by day. In _my_ case being married is on the easy side, but that’s exclusively because of who I picked to be my partner. I got _very_ lucky.” Sasha is asleep in Bonnie’s arms, heavy and warm. “Why do you ask?” Caroline, asks softly.

“Just wondering,” Bonnie says in a hushed voice. 

“You’ll know what it’s like soon,” Caroline says quietly. “You’ll know how it all feels.”

Bonnie smiles down at Sasha. _Hopefully_ , she thinks, standing. “I’ll put her in her crib. Can you order food, please. I’m starving.”

-

“Oh, I didn’t even tell you,” Bonnie says, mouth full of white pizza. “Damon just dropped by, unannounced yesterday.”

“At your house?” 

“God, no,” Bonnie shudders to think. “No. The office.”

Caroline rolls his eyes. “What did he want?”

“To invite me to a work dinner thing.” Caroline shrugs a shoulder as if to say ‘acceptable.’

“But he brought me flowers. Dahlias.”

Caroline throws her eyes up to high heaven. “I swear, he’s- you know he’s still with Nora?”

“Oh, I know. He mentioned it. He’s so fucking blasé about his bullshit.” She takes a bite of crust. “Even if he wasn’t it’s still a no go.”

“She’s a nice girl,” Caroline says. “We went shopping, her and I, and I swear she is lightyears ahead. She’s working him just like he’s working her.”

“What do you mean?”

“She just wants a legitimate in, you know. I got the impression she’s sick of fucking him just for a connection. I _maybe_ threw it out there that you might be hiring soon.”  Bonnie gives Caroline a look. “I know, I know. It’s messy on the surface, but she’s smart. A good talker, good judgement, and she seems to know a lot of people. She’s a little...aimless right now, but I don’t know. I don’t even know if she took it seriously.”

“You think she’d work for me? After that conversation we overheard?”

“Yeah, I do,” Caroline says. “She’s just hungry. But she still has some...” she searches for the right word, “scruples? Dignity left. Put her in the right position and she won’t need a man, or Damon,” Bonnie smirks, “to succeed.”

“Ugh, you know I hate seeing a woman fall back on a man for support,” Bonnie grumbles.

“I know,” Caroline says, rubbing pizza crumbs off of her fingers, smiling deviously. 

“Well, if she stops by, I’ll see. Maybe. No promises. The ad isn’t even circulated yet.”

“Tell me how she does if she does show.”

Bonnie’s phone goes off and she smiles at the screen. 

_ Kai: just checking in. Everything ok? _

Bonnie takes a picture of the demolished pizza and Caroline poses automatically, with a thumbs up even though she doesn’t know what the picture is for. 

_ Everything’s fine. You? Xo _

He sends back a picture of his socked feet up on his living room table, beer in hand. 

_Kai: All good_.He tacks on a heart and she smiles faintly. 

“Even Stefan is over Damon. He’s so glad you’re into Kai,” Caroline said guessing correctly who Bonnie was texting.

“You said that before.”

“Because it’s true. He doesn’t say much, but whenever it comes up, like when you don’t stay for a party or leave early like you did this Christmas, he hates it. You are literally like his sister, you know that right?”

Bonnie nods. Her and Stefan have a quiet but close relationship. The kind where he would always know where to find her when she would be upset when they were younger - usually next to the waterfall or in a field. She would hear the crunching in the grass and feel him settle beside her, both of them staring up into the shifting sky until they got up, dusted themselves off, and would walk home together, Stefan talking about anything and everything he could to get her mind off of her worries. He would always order her food for her if she were running late to their once standing lunch date they had every Thursday before life became too hectic. She’s in more of his and Caroline’s wedding photos than Damon is. While Bonnie turns to Caroline for most all of her advice these days, there were times in the past where she would go straight to Stefan, loving his sage, quiet advice that always rang with wisdom far beyond his age. 

“I miss our lunch dates,” she says. “Stefan and I. They were just a chunk of my week where I had zero worries. He’s like a shaman or something. You know you married Sadhguru right?”

Caroline laughs. “You guys should start that again. He was mentioning that the other day. He thinks you’re avoiding him because of Damon.”

“That’s ridiculous. Where is he?”

“Working late,” Caroline says. “I told him he was being silly-“

“That’s more than silly. I love Stef. Does he really think that?” 

“Yeah,” Caroline says ruefully. Bonnie shakes her head.

“Okay, we are definitely resurrecting our lunch dates, because that’s just stupid.” Caroline looks pleased. 

“I’ll let him know.”

“Yeah, please do.” Bonnie says. “I’ll tell him myself too.”

“What we _need_ to do is plan a double date,” Caroline says. “We really want to meet Kai.”

Bonnie smiles. “When this whole casting process is over.”

“Or,” Caroline says slyly. “We can sneak something before then.”

“Maybe,” Bonnie says. She would love it if they met Kai. “We’ll work something out.” She smiles at how Caroline shimmies her shoulders. Bonnie hears Sasha fussing in the next room and gets up. “I’ll check on her,” she says. 

—

It’s a short week, the second having fallen on a Wednesday, so in what seems like a blink of an eye Bonnie is in her bedroom getting ready for dinner. 

She pulls out an aubergine blouse with a slightly plunging neckline and a pair of slim fit slacks. She decides on her black Louboutin pointed heels despite the red sole. It won’t clash but it’ll go, she decides once she throws on her blood red coat. 

Kai relaxes on the edge of the bed and watches her get ready, a little smile on his face.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks, smirking at him, spritzing perfume on her pressure points. She pulls on matching set of dark purple underwear. 

“Like what?” he asks, satisfaction deep in his voice

“Like that,” she walks over to stand in front of him, looking for her diamond bracelet on the bedside table. She already has her makeup on and she has already caught him benevolently watching her do that between memorizing his lines. 

He shrugs. “I’m just looking at you.”

“Hm,” she hums, squinting at him playfully and lays the bracelet on her wrist. “Can you?” she asks holding out her arm so he can do the clasp for her. 

“You smell amazing.” He says, tugging her forward when he’s done. She snags her ring and slips it on her right ring finger.

“I’m going to be late,” she says, but lets him pull her closer easily. He looks up at her from where he sits on her bed, smoothing his hands over her sides and hips. 

“Ok,” he kisses her stomach. 

“Kai,” she cards her fingers through his hair. 

“Hm?” His fingers play with the edges of her underwear lightly.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing.”

“I’m going to be late,” she repeats, but she breathes the words as his fingers rub her gently over her lace underwear. 

“Sorry,” he whispers even as he moves her purple panties to the side, playing with her already slick folds slowly, kissing her hip. “Want me to stop?”

She bites her lip and whimpers when he shallowly sinks his fingers into her, rubbing that swollen, ridged spot gently, thumb circling her clit. She feels her legs get a little weak and she tightens her grip on his shoulder and in his hair. He looks up at her as her eyes slide shut. He kisses her lower stomach again, once, twice, pumping his fingers leisurely. He draws her closer to the edge, slowly, and then he stops, pulling his slick fingers out of her when she starts moving her hips minutely, chasing the sensation and her eyes flutter open. He licks his fingers clean and goosebumps rush over her skin at the sight. Kai reaches around to grip her ass tightly with both hands and he kisses her stomach again making the muscles jump. “Sorry,” he says, a laugh in his husky voice. “Let me leave you alone, let you get ready.”

“You’re going to let me leave feeling like this? I won’t be able to focus.”

“You can’t be late,” he says against her skin. She ignores his words and pushes at his shoulders until he lies on his back and she climbs on top of him, kissing him deeply, savoring her taste still on his tongue. He palms her breasts and she bites at lips, moaning slightly. 

“You’re trying to drive me insane,” she whispers against his ear. “You’re not going to-“ she inhales sharply when his fingers sink into her again.

“To what,” he whispers, tilting her head with a thumb underneath her jaw, making her look him in the eyes. 

“You’re not going to dri- ah” He presses up slightly with slightly hooked fingers and she fucks down onto the digits. “Drive me crazy,” she finishes. 

“Okay,” he kisses her chin softly, still massaging that spot that has her biting the inside of her lip as she closes her eyes again. Her long, thick hair, big curls free, curtains their heads on either side, shrouding them in their own little world. She feels his lips trail upwards, nose grazing her own and she continues to move her hips, trying to reach that satisfaction he holds at bay. 

“Bubby, please,” she begs lowly, eyes slitting open, and she sees him grin a little before moving his thumb faster. She shudders a little, sighing, back arching, but then he’s pulling his hand away again, fingers slick and slippery, and he holds them up to her lips. She licks them clean one by one and he watches, mouth open slightly, eyelids heavy. She laces their hands together when she’s done and pins him on the bed, kissing him fully, passionately. She feels his hips press upwards and she feels his hardness. Smiling she pulls away slowly, sucking on his bottom lip. “I’m going to be late,” she whispers. He nods. “But stay here? I know I said I’d come over to yours but I want you to be here when I get back. Please. Pretty please.” She kisses him softly. He nods again and she smiles, sitting up and back. Kai runs his hands down her torso, settling on her thighs, eyes drinking her in. She loves the way he looks at her; like she’s the best thing he’s ever seen. Like she’s his favorite thing in the entire world. She rubs against him and he lifts his hips, making her laugh a little as she rides the movement out. 

“Damnit,” she mutters. “Now I have to change my underwear _and_ I’m going to be late.”

Kai grins at her, fingers drifting down her stomach again. “Well, since you’re already going to be late...”

—

The hostess leads her to a discreet curved booth in the back of the restaurant and Bonnie thanks her warmly. 

“Where’s Dirkin?” she asks removing her coat and sliding onto the creamy, black leather. 

“He couldn’t make it,” Damon says, eyes running over her figure. 

Annoyance flares in Bonnie immediately. “Why didn’t you mention that? We could have rescheduled.”

Damon waves a hand and unbuttons his cuffs, rolling up his sleeves. He already has a drink in front of him, probably an aged Bourbon, as usual. “It’s fine. We can always plan another meeting.”

“Yes, well, I might not have time for another one.”

“I’m sure we’ll find time,” Damon says easily. Even though she dressed business casual, the neckline of her purple shirt is a little more plunging than she recalled and he takes his fill of her like he always does, appreciating the familiar details. 

“Well, let’s talk about what we can now, I guess,” Bonnie says, wishing she were more uncomfortable under his gaze instead of it feeling like a well worn routine. “What are you thinking? Who are you having trouble deciding on?”

“So no small talk?” Damon smirks. 

Bonnie takes a deep breath quietly. She has to remember that despite everything Damon is still a client. She tries to pull back on her slightly abrupt manner and she smiles wanly. “Sorry. Traffic was a nightmare,” she lies. It was a smooth, easy seventeen minute ride.

“That’s why you’re almost twenty minutes late?” he asks. 

She shifts, feeling the ghost of Kai’s touch on the back of her thighs. “Yeah, construction. When isn’t there?” she laughs a little. 

“Hm. That’s funny. I didn’t run into any.”

“Maybe we went different ways,” she says, aloof, taking a sip of the whiskey neat that’s already waiting for her. 

He sips his Bourbon. “Which way did you go? We’re thirty minutes away from each other now.”

Bonnie laughs again. “Did you want to talk to Google Maps or me,” she deflects. 

“You, of course,” he smirks. “We haven’t caught up. What’s new?”

“Oh, same ol, same ol,” she says and grimaces internally. 

“Is it?” Damnit. She knows that tone. He’s needling. Poking and prying. He knows that something has shifted, but he’s not sure what. Bonnie knows Damon well enough to know that if he gets an inkling that she’s seeing someone new he’ll be like a dog with a bone. Or, more accurately, a man with an unlimited amount of resources to woo her back to his side just to leave her on ice like always. He won’t stop until he finds out who it is. Even knowing this, it was always his romantic side that has been her Achilles heel for so long and she wants to avoid the whole thing. It won’t work this time, but still. 

“Yup,” she says forcing herself to relax. “Work, work, and more work. I’m exhausted these days.”

“The vacation didn’t make you feel better?”

She tries to keep her expression blank and she’s successful until she remembers who’s at her apartment right now, waiting. “It did,” she says, smiling faintly. “I got a lot of rest for once.” She clears her throat. “But now it’s back to the usual. Let’s order and then we can go over the possibilities.” She looks for her menu on the table. 

“Oh I already-“

There’s a waitress already approaching their table with food. It’s exactly what she’s in the mood for - a caesar salad, with dressing on the side, and a sizzling steak. “Thanks,” she says. The waitress places his own plate of food in front of him and asks if they need anything else before walking away. They automatically begin to split their food in half and he puts some of his food plate on her plate and she does the same. It isn’t until they are done that she wonders if that’s still okay to do. But they’ve always done that - it’s second nature. First nature, if Bonnie is honest. They’ve been doing it since they were kids. It hits her that this might be trickier than she thought. These grey patches like sharing food, and hugs she already knows she’ll overthink. Like she is right now.

“Hey,” he nudges her leg with his foot, “where’d you go?” 

“Uh, sorry. Still feeling a little under the weather.”

“You looked worried.”

“I don’t want to have to stay out of the office,” she says smoothly. She twirls some pasta on her fork and takes a bite. “Should I ask if you even brought any headshots?”

He takes a bite of steak and reaches down underneath the table. She glimpses a carrier bag and as he unzips it she notices he shorted her on shrimp. Without thinking she quickly takes two more off of his plate as he pulls out his computer. She ignores the little smile that pulls at the corner of his mouth. When the folder comes up, he moves closer so they can both look at the screen and he clicks the first person. 

“You really didn’t narrow this down at all. So we’ll have to rank them.”

“I do want to eliminate a few more tonight.”

“Without Dirkin?”

Damon nods. “Yeah, it’ll be fine.” 

They begin the process of clicking through each person, discussing their strengths and weaknesses and where they would personally rank them, Damon making sure to open a voice recording program to document everything. 

When they get to Kai Bonnie sips on her water and asks, “What do you think?”

“I can see it. He moves well. I’m glad I kept him.” Bonnie nods. “He still needs to lose some muscle, but I like him for lead. Malachai. That’s a mouthful. Malachai Parker for lead ranked one or two.” 

“I agree,” she says. “I knew you’d see it eventually. It drives me crazy when you guys pick the wrong leads.”

“They aren’t wrong. The director could have had a different vision.”

“That’s true. But being on this side, seeing who it could have been it gets you thinking. I don’t say anything, but a lot of the time when I think it’s the wrong choice the crowd catches it. The critics catch it. And it drives me nuts.” Damon looks at her warmly, fiddling with his nearly empty tumbler. His blue eyes sparkle in the lighting of the restaurant and just for a moment, a second, something shifts. But then she looks away, at Kai’s face on the screen and she smiles. “Malachai Parker for lead.”

They do three or four more people and then Damon saves the conversation and closes the laptop. “I think that’s enough for tonight.” Bonnie nods. “I remember the food here being better,” she says, sipping her martini. 

“I was just thinking that,” he says. “I’ll pick somewhere else next time.”

“No, I will,” she says smiling and that look is back in his eyes. “Or Dirkin,” she says. “I wonder what his taste is like.”

“Why? Interested?”

“In Dirkin?” Bonnie laughs. “I’ve never even met the man. And isn’t he married?” Damon smirks. “But seriously, he needs to show next time. I’m going to be busier than usual. I’m finally putting out word that I’m hiring.”

“Yeah, I heard about that.”

“How?” Bonnie tilts her head. “I haven’t ran anything yet.”

“Nora.” Damon says and Bonnie remembers the conversation with Caroline. She pretends to be none the wiser. 

“Nora? How does she know?”

“She said a friend. I’m not surprised- she’s a know everyone sort of girl. She mentioned maybe throwing her hat into the ring.”

“Well, what are her qualifications?” Bonnie asks, taking another sip of her drink.

Damon chuckles. “I’m sure she has a few, but I’d rather you not hire her.”

“And why is that?” Bonnie tilts her head, distaste creeping into her throat. 

“Well, I shouldn’t say ‘rather you not’. I don’t care either way,” Bonnie barely holds back on rolling her eyes, “but she has a short attention span. I’m assuming you’re aiming for something long term.”

“It depends, but typically,” she says lightly.

“Yeah, Nora’s kind of got her hand in everything.”

“Hm. Well. If she stops by I’ll talk to her. See for myself. You said she has connections, and she’s young and fresh. She seems like she’ll fit my culture.”

“Believe me, Nora’s meant for other things.”

Bonnie smiles and bites the martini soaked olive cleanly off the end of the toothpick. “Well,” she says slowly, “if she’s talking about interviewing apparently she thinks differently.” She barely smiles. “If she’s qualified I can’t promise I won’t say yes.” She sips the last of her drink. “But I’m not saying I wouldn’t say no, either.”

The corner of Damon’s mouth tilts and she can feel him backing away from the subject. But it’s too late, he’s already exposed his hand. She wonders if it’s just the ‘like my sister’ comment he’s trying to avoid her hearing repeated or if there’s more mistruths he’s told Nora. 

There’s a lull in the conversation and Bonnie scans the restaurant, mind drifting to her penthouse wondering if Blueberry is extorting Kai for treats or behaving himself this time.

“I wanted to apologize.”

Bonnie looks back at Damon, settling back into the booth as she does, waiting. “For what?”

“Aspen. And afterwards.”

_Interesting_. “What did you do up there that’s worth apologizing for?”

Damon sits back and looks at her, mirroring her relaxed stance. “I know how much you hate the paparazzi. I had your photos in blogs, had them shooting questions at you.”

She waves it away. It hadn’t ruined things with Kai so she doesn’t really care. “It’s ok. You can’t help it.”

“You know I still I feel responsible. I always have.” Bonnie shrugs her shoulders and contemplates with half a mind. She doesn’t entirely believe him - she’s always suspected Damon liked his picture everywhere. He rarely complained or showed any distaste at seeing his life plastered for all to see. Back when they were pictured together more frequently she got the distinct impression he got enjoyment out of seeing them together, memorialized. “Hey,” he says quietly and her gaze flicks upwards, back to his face. His expression is open, and it immediately makes her feel nervous. “I was thinking... I want us to spend more time together. Without all of that. We can duck off, find a way...”

Residual instincts show themselves and she feels the faintest warmth in her chest when she looks into his crystal blue eyes. But then she can see Kai smiling, eyes down, head tilted in that way that shows off his dimples and the feeling fades, going with the image. When she replays on Damon’s words she feels her mind and heart reject the offer vehemently. To stall she asks, “What about Nora?”

“She’s great, but,” he shakes his head. “She isn’t...” he appears to be weighing his words and in a split second Bonnie decides it’s better if she doesn’t know. 

“I think she’s great Damon,” she pushes gently. “Are you really giving her a chance? Or using her as a place holder for...whatever? Whoever?” He doesn’t answer and two things strike her in his silence - she doesn’t want to talk about this and she’s tired. She wants to go home. Bonnie looks at her watch. It’s already nearing ten-thirty. She sighs. “Give her a chance, Damon. But I’m about to head home - work in the morning. We’ll talk more later?”

He stares at her for a long time before nodding. “Yeah, we will.”

She gathers up her purse, reaching inside for her wallet. “I’ve got it,” he says and she nods. 

“Thanks.” She grabs her coat and slips out of the curved booth. “And let me know when Dirkin is available. Then we can get this all ironed out for sure.” He nods and loosens his tie as she rises. He looks tired in that way that usually would have her wanting to reach out to him, wanting to make him feel better. This time she just feels as tired as he looks. “Have a good night, Damon.” He grabs her hand and rubs the knuckles. 

“You too.” She squeezes his hand once and lets go. Before she leaves the restaurant she asks a hostess for two pieces of chocolate cake to go. 

—

When Bonnie gets home her first thought is she loves how the air feels. It’s not still like usual; she can _feel_ Kai’s presence as she takes off her heels at the door and sets the alarm. Blueberry comes up to her and nuzzles her legs and she pets him absent mindedly. She sets the two pieces of cake in one black styrofoam container on the kitchen island and makes her way to the bedroom. 

In the light of the TV Kai lays in bed on his back, bare torso exposed, his expression peaceful in sleep. She looks at the screen and smiles seeing Zumbo’s Just Desserts playing lowly. Of course he’d like the toughest competition out of them all. 

She undresses quietly and closes the bathroom door so the running water won’t wake him up. As she removes her make-up and does her skincare routine she thinks about dinner and how little she felt in general sitting across from the man who kept her on the proverbial hook for years. Bonnie never thought she would’ve seen the day that Damon Salvatore wining and dining her while apologizing wouldn’t soften her up to epic, and frankly weak, proportions. There were hints of old, knee jerk reactions to things but that was about it. Except for when they were discussing work, half of her mind had been here, with Kai, ready to be back in his company. 

Sure, she hasn’t dated much compared to her counterparts the same age, but she’s sure this is special. And even if it isn’t in general, it’s incredibly special to her. She finishes washing her face, and applies her serums and moisturizer before brushing her teeth. And she left him here, she continues to think. She left him here in her space, in her home alone with no qualms, and felt no trepidation. She’d felt safe, like she’d left her safe haven in her sanctuary just waiting to embrace her in security when she eventually returned.

Her heart flutters in her chest and as she rinses water around her mouth and spits she starts to feel a little overwhelmed, a ball forming in her throat. She shuts off the faucet and swallows hard, ignoring the burning in her eyes and huffs a laugh to herself. Leave it to her to want to cry when she’s unbelievably happy, the cause for that joy lying just beyond that door. 

_ Be mine. Only mine.  _

She smiles as she shuts off the light and leaves the bathroom to slip into bed, pressing her bare body against his. Kai shifts and breathes in deeply. He lifts his arm and she snuggles underneath, close to his side. “Hey,” he says groggily, voice deep and rough. 

“Hey,” she says softly and the slight warmth she’d felt earlier around Damon is barely a memory, a blip of _nothing_ , compared to the tenderness that engulfs her when she looks up into Kai’s face. 

_I adore you,_ she thinks. She kisses him softly and he hums, kissing her back. 

“Had a good meeting?” She nods and kisses him again, longer this time, wrapping her limbs around him. 

_I adore you so much, you make my chest hurt,_ she thinks, kissing him deeply. _It makes me want to cry._ That safe feeling blankets her as the kiss steadily becomes more passionate. _Why do you make me want to cry?_ Her eyes begin to burn again and she pulls away, hugging him close instead, resting her chin on his shoulder. She tries to wipe at her eyes discreetly. 

“Hey, you okay?” he whispers in the near darkness, hands running up and down her back and she nods quickly. 

“Mhm,” her voice cracks and she clears her throat.“I brought back chocolate cake? Want some?” 

“Sure, okay.” He sounds a little dazed and she kisses the crook of his neck. In the kitchen, under the dimmed light, Bonnie can feel him watching her and she can guess why. He’s probably confused at her little loss of control of her emotions, but she doesn’t bring it up and neither does he; she wouldn’t know what to say anyway. It’s not something she fully understands. 

They sit right next to each other at the kitchen island, arms brushing and she wraps her leg around his, laying her head on his shoulder when she isn’t taking a bite of cake. He rests his head on hers occasionally and talks idly of possibly having to go back to Seattle for business. He wonders aloud if she could find time to go with him, and if she could handle his siblings ‘descending on her like locusts.’ She laughs and says she thinks she can handle it just fine.

When they’re done, they brush their teeth together and make faces at each other in the mirror. He stands behind her and massages her scalp gently before he gathers her hair carefully in a loose bun, the kind she usually does herself before falling asleep. 

In bed there isn’t an inch of space between them and they whisper in the dark about recreating the dish she had tonight, brainstorming different ways to make it better, because they know they can. They tentatively set up a day and time they could bothgo indoor rock climbing together because Kai is getting antsy from not lifting. They fall asleep, face to face, nose to nose, Bonnie first, Kai quickly following after kissing her top lip, which she returns even as she fades deeper and deeper into slumber. 

While they sleep, Blueberry ambles in and lays at both of their feet.

_I adore you,_ floats in and out of her dreams, and all is still. 


	8. Saint Valentine's Day Massacre

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the books Bonnie was born March 10th.  
> In the show Bonnie was born February 5th.  
> In this story she is born February 10th.  
> Enjoy :)

January flows into February in a blur of work and it isn’t until then, a month later, that Bonnie remembers what Caroline had asked her. 

“Hey,” she says as she lies in Kai’s bed as he crosses the room. He’s just finished shaving in the bathroom just to the right and the scent of the fresh smelling foam floats into the room carried on steam. It’s Saturday morning and they‘ve been lying around, waffling about what to have for a late breakfast when in reality they both feel too lazy to get up. 

“Hm?” he aims in her direction as he goes to grab his laptop off of his sturdy wooden desk. 

“Do you model?” 

Kai smirks. “Are you using my lines on me?”

“I’m serious,” she says getting up and making her way into the bathroom, smiling a little when he squeezes her butt as they pass each other. She puts toothpaste on her brush and wets it. “Caroline wanted me to ask.” She starts brushing. 

“I mean, I did some modeling as a kid, but I wouldn’t say ‘I’m a model.’”

“Buh can youh?” she asks around the bristles in her mouth. 

“It’s not my thing.”

“I thin youh can,” she spits. 

“Thank you, honey,” he says, playing faux flattered. 

“I’m serious.” She brushes her tongue. 

“Why did Caroline ask? Was it out of curiosity or...?”

“See sed-“

“After you rinse,” he says distractedly and she sees he’s put on his glasses and is on his computer now. She finishes up brushing her teeth and starts to wash her face. 

“She said that there’s this campaign she thinks you’d be good for.”

“Which?” he asks. “And when am I meeting her?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask. I should have gotten more info, but I just assumed you didn’t model. You never talk about it. And soon.”

“You’d be right,” he agrees with her first statement. “I don’t claim to be one. And how soon is soon?” 

Bonnie rubs moisturizer on her skin and ignores the wild curls that have escaped its bun overnight. “Soon soon. And I think you could do it. Do you have any recent modeling photos? Like head to toe, swimsuit, underwear?”

“No,” Kai laughs a little. “Definitely not.”

“You should take some.”

“I think I’ll pass.”

“C’mon,” she climbs onto the bed and crawls over to him. “You’re gorgeous.”

“Thank you. So are you,” he says amused, watching her. She nuzzles his nose with hers and grabs her phone. She falls onto her back beside him. 

“Let’s try.”

“What do you mean ‘let’s try?’”

“Get up,” she says, nudging him with her foot and opening up the camera on her phone. 

“I’m ok.”

“Come on,” she says grinning. “Let’s practice, see how good you look on camera.”

He closes the computer now and rests it on the bedside table. He turns to look down at her, leaning on his elbow

“I think I have a pretty good idea of what I look like on camera,” he says, eyes warm. 

“You know what I mean,” she says. “And maybe I want a little eye candy at my fingertips.”

“Ah,” he says, “that’s what this is about. If you wanted me to send nudes you could have just asked.”

“Oh, I know.” They smile at each other fondly. “Take off your shirt,” she urges him. “I’ll do test shots. If you like them you can go get some real ones done and Care can have them on hand. She’s like me - good at what she does. If she asked then I’d do it.”

“But these would just yours?” he confirms. 

She nods, biting her lip, and smiling. 

He rolls his eyes in that way that means she’s won. “What do I get in return, hm?” he asks, jokingly. 

“Pic for pic?” she says innocently and he grins. 

“You want the glasses on or off?”

She sucks air through her teeth. “Oooh, definitely on.”

—

Wednesday morning her first call of the day is Caroline as Bonnie is getting into her car. “Hey, Care.”

“Happy Birthday!” she hears both Stefan and Caroline say into the phone and she laughs. 

“Thank you!” She says, switching them to speaker. 

“So,” Caroline begins, “since you’re technically Benjamin Button that makes you what? Twenty-two today?”

“Oh, be quiet,” Bonnie laughs. 

“You doing anything tonight?” she hears Stefan ask and she figures she must be on speaker as well. 

“Nope!” she says happily, navigating early morning rush hour. “Kai wants to, but I’m ok. It’s the middle of the week.”

“Lame. You sound like Stefan,” Caroline says

“And you sound like Kai,” Bonnie retorts, laughing.

“Speaking of which,” Stefan begins.

“Soon, I promise. He asked the same thing this weekend.”

“So what’s the hold up?” Caroline asks.

“Just work,” Bonnie promises. 

“Bring him by soon,” Stefan says. “We’ll have lunch or dinner.” 

“I will.  Also ,” she addresses since she’s got him on the phone. “You haven’t lost your mind recently have you, Stefan?”

“Not to my knowledge,” he says good-naturedly.

“Okay. Just making sure.”

“Why?”

“Oh nothing,” she says, causally. “Someone told me they think I’m avoiding you because of your dick of a brother, but I know you’re smarter than that.”

After a moment she hears Stefan say, “I am,” his voice warm. 

“Just checking,” Bonnie says breezily, smiling. “Because that would be stupid.”

“I agree.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

“Awww,” Caroline says from the background and Bonnie rolls her eyes just as her call waiting goes off and she sees it’s St. John’s name. She groans. “Listen you guys, I love you. Thank you so much for calling, but I’m getting another call and it’s work.”

“Go, go, we’ll talk later,” Caroline says. 

“Okay. Bye guys!”

“Bye!” they chorus and Bonnie switches over to see what in the world Enzo wants now. 

-

When she walks into work she’s greeted by extra smiles and as she passes her employees they all throw out a variant of “Happy Birthday” at her. 

“Happy Birthday,” Maria says, giving her a hug and an envelope. 

“Oh, you didn’t have to,” Bonnie says.

“I know. I wanted to,” Maria smiles. 

Bonnie gives her another hug and asks her, “Do I have to see anyone this morning?”

“Nope,” Maria says. 

“Perfect,” Bonnie says. She’s looking forward to a smooth day.

-

Her direct line rings and Bonnie stares at the number before picking up. 

“Hello?”

“Happy Birthday, beautiful,” Damon greets her, voice warm, and her mouth twitches, trying to form a smile against her will. 

“Thank you,” she says, politely. 

“How’s your day going so far? Any gifts? Singing telegrams?”

“Just calls, and cards, and cake,” Bonnie replies.

“Raspberry Elegance?”

“No,” she says, mildly dejected, mouth watering at the thought of a slice. “Strawberry. Which is great too, but I swear, it’s all I really wanted, that cake. Everything else is a bonus.” She isn’t kidding. 

Damon chuckles. “Listen, I hate to spring this on you but can you do a lunch at one?”

She looks at her watch. It’s a little past twelve now. “For what? It’s really short notice.”

“I know but Dirkin is in town and he’s got time. I kind of want to just get this part over with. We did most of the work already, I just want to finish up the few we have left and get him to agree to who we have already.”

“Where does he want to meet?”

“Panera near Bryant?”

“I like him already. Casual.”

“More like he’s really in the mood for a Turkey Bravo.”

“You sure he’ll show this time?” she asks, only half kidding. 

Damon huffs a laugh. “Promise.”

“Okay, I’ll move some stuff around and I’ll meet you both in a little while.”

“Great. See you soon.”

“Same.”

Bonnie hangs up and looks at her schedule. She actually has a light day, most likely Maria’s doing as a birthday present. She presses the speaker button and dials Maria’s extension. “Hey,” Bonnie says. “I’m going out to a meeting in a little bit.”

-

Baldwin Dirkin is indeed present this time and he turns out to be a jovial man, rotund and ruddy faced, with a loud booming laugh. Bonnie immediately likes him and they have a very productive yet light hearted meeting. 

“Ms. Bennett,” he says finishing off his sandwhich. “You are a delight. A pure delight, you glow,” he turns to Damon. “You could have told me she glows, Salvatore.”

Damon chuckles. “Can’t fight you on that one.” 

“Your insight, it’s good,” Dirkin points at her. “Your instinct, it’s on the nose. Mhm, I like that. You’re born with that, it can’t be taught.”

“Thank you, Mr. Dirkin,” Bonnie says, beaming. No one else has ever told her she glows before, not with the talent like she sees in everyone else. 

“You better call me Baldwin. I’ll be devastated if we aren’t on a first name basis.” Bonnie laughs, charmed. “Thank you so much for your time. I know it was short notice but I appreciate it. I’m on the run today.”

“Oh, the pleasure was mine. Hopefully we can work together in the future.” 

“Oh, I’m sure we will, my dear.” He shakes Damon’s hand firmly and clasps Bonnie’s with both of his. “Alright you two, I’m off. But we’ll catch up soon. We’ll schedule those second screenshots sometime within the next week, before I leave. And Happy Birthday, again. If I’d known-“

“You are _fine_ ,” Bonnie insists. “Thank you. We’ll be seeing each other soon.” He nods and gets up, already busy on his phone. 

“He is the best!” Bonnie exclaims after he’s gone. 

“He’s a hardass,” Damon smirks. 

“No,” she gasps. “Him?”

“On set, yeah. He’s a fun guy, I like him. But when he’s in the zone, he’s in it fully. Very particular.”

“Well, I think it’s great he can be both. I like him a lot.” She smiles and Damon smiles back. 

“So, any big plans for the night?”

“Oh, just relaxing.” And it’s true. She convinced Kai not to go all out, citing that Valentine’s weekend was around the corner; they could celebrate then. 

“We could catch dinner tonight,” Damon suggests.

She shakes her head. “Not in the mood.” Bonnie fully intends to be wrapped up in her boyfriend all evening. 

“You sure?”

“I’m positive.”

“I could come over.”

“I’m taking a sleeping pill and knocking out,” she tells him dismissively. 

“Hm, well,” he says, as they both move to get out of the booth. “If you change your mind let me know”

_Where the hell is Nora_ , she wonders to herself 

“I doubt I will,” is what she says aloud instead. 

“You never know,” he says buttoning up his suit jacket. The way he says it makes her cut her eyes in his direction. 

“I won’t,” she says again. “Make plans with Nora.” They step outside. “Anyway, it’s a long rest of the day. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Ok,” he hugs her briefly and they go their seperate ways. 

—

She’s back in her office for about an hour after lunch when her desk phone rings. She presses the speaker button. 

“Yes, Maria?”

“I have a man on line one for you. He says his name is Howard.”

“Howard?” Bonnie says. “Howard who? Did he give a last name?”

“No, but he says you know him. He said you see him everyday.” Bonnie frowns and then her mind clicks into place. _Howard_. “Send him through,” she says hurriedly.

“Hello?” Bonnie says, picking up the receiver. 

“Hello, Ma’m,” she hears her doorman’s comforting, fatherly voice. “Is this Ms. Bennett.”

“Howard, I told you - call me Bonnie.”

“Ah, yes. Well, Ms. Bonnie. How ya doin’ today?” he asks, casually.

“I’m fine,” Bonnie says, mildly confused but polite. “Yourself?”

“Oh, well ya know, Hanging in there.” 

Bonnie nods. “Good. That’s good.” The older man hums on the other line and Bonnie waits. He doesn’t say anything right away. “Howard,” she says delicately, “I don’t mind you calling but how-? Why-?”

“Well, I tried the numbers we got listed for ya, and those weren’t working so I went on the Google. I Googled your name and found the phone number to your business. Figured I’d try. Mighty nice website you got there. It’s clean.” 

Bonnie nods, realizes he can’t see her, and says, “well, thank you... I suppose. Is everything alright?” Confusion weighs her down.

“Well,” he says, sighing. “That’s the thing. I’m not too sure. You have a delivery.”

“What kind of delivery?” she asks, suspiciously.

“Flowers. It’s your birthday or somethin’ today?”

“It is.”

“Well, Happy Birthday.”

“Thank you.”

“Yeah, so you got a lot of flowers here. A lot. Filling up the lobby. Lookin’ like a bouquet for every year,” he chuckles. 

“What?” she damn near squeaks. Dread floods through her.

“Yup, yup,” he says easily. “They keep bringing em in. You look mighty young, but they’re bringing in a lot of em. I’m telling ya, us Black folk, we don’t crack. Still lookin good after all this time. I still look good my damn self. You know, I’ll be sixty-seven this year? Don’t look a day over forty.” 

Bonnie is torn between laughing and screaming. The implications of this registers even deeper and her heart sinks.

“Howard,” she says, evenly, trying to bring him back on track. 

“Hm?” The older man says. “Oh yeah, so I remembered, ‘round the holidays you had all those photographers out front, and you asked me to keep your young fella in the dark. I don’t think these are from him. From your fella.”

“Why do you think that?” she presses.

“Well, uh, let’s see,” there’s a pause and Bonnie assumes he’s digging for a note. “Here we go. Hold on, let me get my glasses on,” Bonnie feels like her heart is going to beat out of her chest as she waits. “Ok!” he proclaims finally. “Says here, on the note: ‘Happy Birthday, to my favorite girl from the very beginning and until the end of time. Thank you for being my rib.’ Oh Lord. Smooth talker ain’t he,” he chuckles while Bonnie’s heart starts packing a bag to leave her body. “Ok, now it’s signed ‘D. Salvatore.’ Ain’t that the man you were trying to say you were just working with?”

“Shit.” Bonnie says, throwing any calmness she was feigning out the window. “Shit, _shit_. How many bouquets?”

“Well, I’d say maybe thirty, thirty five.”

“Entire bouquets??”

“Mhm,” he hums. “And they’re big too. Bigger than you! How did he expect you to carry these into your place, is what I wanna know. Looks like he wanted the hallway to be full of em... He does know you’re in a penthouse right? The hallway to your door ain’t nothin but a few inches...“

“Those need to go,” she murmurs. 

“You sure? They’re Cala Lillies. My momma used to love em.”

“She can have them,” she says frantically, not thinking straight. 

Howard chuckles. “My momma is long gone, girl. God rest her soul. What she gonna do with these?” Bonnie has the inane urge to shout ‘cover her grave with them’ but doesn’t. Instead she thinks quickly, trying to keep a rational head. 

“Don’t you have a wife?” she asks, voice slightly pleading. 

“Sure do,” he says, proudly. “And three daughters. Two grand babies too.”

“Give it to them.”

“They’ll look at me like I’m crazy bringing all these in the house,” he states. 

“Well,” she waves her hand, “take a few and just give the rest away. Be everyone’s favorite today and hand them out to anyone passing by, please. Early Valentine’s for the city. Please Howard, _please_.”

“You sure? They are mighty nice.”

“I’m extremely sure.”

“Well, alright.”

“Thank you Howard. Thank you you so much,” she says emphatically. “When I get home, we’ll talk more.”

“Alrighty,” he says pleasantly. “See ya soon.”

“Yeah, soon.”

They hang up and Bonnie is still processing the information when there’s a knock at her door and her pulse leaps. “Come in,” she says tentatively, but it’s just Maria. 

“Hey,” she says, chipper. “Delivery for you.” Bonnie’s anxiety flares up, flooding through her when Maria pulls a large bouquet of Cala Lillies from behind her back. “From Mr. Salvatore,” she says. 

“How many of those came?” Bonnie asks immediately.

“Um, just the one?” Maria says, confused. Bonnie sighs in relief and thinks quickly. She gives a fake little sniff. 

“All these years and the man can’t remember I’m allergic,” she says. “You can take those home too.” 

“Are you sure?” Maria eyes the impressive arrangement. “It’s for your birthday.”

“I’m positive,” Bonnie says. She sniffs again. “The pollen on those are atrocious.” She’s lying through her teeth. She loves Cala Llllies, especially this strain. They smell exotic; it reminds her of the smell of Indian fields right before the rain - fresh, spicy, and fragrant. She loves them. “You can keep them on your desk, but I can’t have them in here.”

Maria nods and begins to leave. “Oh and this came for you too, while you were out,” she says, handing Bonnie a package. 

Bonnie opens the plain brown box with a pair of scissors and sees another box tucked neatly inside surrounded by bubble wrap. The golden box has a dark ribbon, tied perfectly, running down its side. BVLGARI is embossed on the front. “Jesus,” she mutters, before she even opens it. It’s large and flat and she curses Damon for using her love of jewelry against her. She takes the cover off of the box and her eyes go wide. She nearly gasps. 

It’s a gorgeous necklace. It’s unique shape is delicate and feminine, almost like a fan shape. A pink diamond makes up most of the top and bottom and is framed by even smaller white diamonds. There’s a matching pair of earrings to go with it along with a simple pink diamond bracelet. It’s breathtaking the way they all catch the slowly waning sunlight. “Oh wow,” she breathes. She’s not one to be impressed by expensive things even though she lives an expensive lifestyle. But she’s a sucker for jewelry and Damon always had very good taste when it came to such things. She fingers the fine, white gold chain and feels her defenses start to lower, just for a moment. 

She pulls her eyes away from the jewels and puts the cover back on the box. She has to give it back. She _will_ give it back in a couple of days. Just not today because he’ll find a way to wrangle some plans out of her. She’s actually surprised that he hasn’t shown up.

_ He hasn’t shown up.  _

_Yet_. 

She looks at the clock. Its 5:06. It occurs to her that she hasn’t been thinking straight. Of course he would come by. His comments at the end of the impromptu meeting, the flowers... the diamonds. 

‘ _If you change your mind let me know’_

He likes to see her face when he makes big gestures which means he’ll either come here to see her reaction to the present or show up tonight when he thinks she’s getting off of work and arriving home to see her reaction to the flowers. _No no nope._ Her mind kicks into overdrive. 

“Maria,” she calls sharply. “I’m going early today. I just got another call.”

“Oh, ok,” Maria says, a little surprised at her abruptness. “But! Let me get a picture of us before you go! For your birthday.”

“Okay,” Bonnie nods and when Maria walks out she gathers the jewelry box, stuffing it deep into her purse and logs out of her computer. She places her belongings on one of the chairs outside of her office and stands next to Maria at her desk

“Finneas,” Mariah says to one of Bonnie’s employees passing by. “Take a pic of us real quick?” The brunette takes Maria’s phone and Bonnie smiles genuinely while hugging the other woman. “One more,” Maria says and they readjust. He snaps the picture and Maria thanks him. “So cute! Totally posting these later.”

Bonnie smiles. “Sorry to run, but just forward any pressing matters to me.” Maria nods and Bonnie makes her way out of the building and to her car. She needs to head over to her apartment to grab some stuff. She texts Kai. 

_ Want to spend the night at yours instead? _

_ Kai: Sure <3 _

She breathes a sigh of relief. 

_ Off work early. Headed over in about an hour? _

_ Kai: Might not be home. I’ll leave the key under the mat. _

_I can reach it when it’s on top of the door_ , she sends back

_ Kai:...I’ll leave it under the mat, Mighty Mouse _

Her mouth twitches into a smile. 

_Whatever_ , she sends.

He sends a smiling face of a cute little emoji mouse.

-

_What do you get a woman who seemingly has everything and asks for nothing?_ Kai wonders as he wanders up and down the perfume section of the darkly lit, high end shoppe. He said he wouldn’t make a big deal about her birthday and he isn’t. Just some dinner, and some flowers. And a cake he already baked first thing this morning. And a small present.

He sniffs free samples although he already knows which one he’s going to buy. It’s a weird fascination he’s picked up - he’s always loved a woman who smells good, but everything on Bonnie smells better somehow. To him anyway. 

_Nothing too crazy. Just something simple,_ is his mantra. It’s going to be their first Valentine’s Day and he doesn’t want to go overboard, but he still wants to get her something meaningful. 

Still wracking his brain, he sniffs the sample of the fragrance he’s buying her. It’s warm and natural like oud, with undertones of something mildly spicy that reminds him of her. It’s both invigorating and sensual, the notes shifting and changing from woodsy, to fresh and sweet, to smokey in a delicate dance that intertwines perfectly. It makes him think of traveling and adventure; of the sights, and sounds, and smells of all the places a free spirit would treasure long after returning home to their hidden haven. _Yeah, this is the one_. Leaving the shoppe with his purchase, he begins to walk towards where he’s parked when he spots a jewelry store across the street. 

She likes jewlery, he’s noticed that. She’s always adorned with something elegant and sparkling. Her collection is carefully arranged in her velvet lined hidden drawer and on a stand next to her vanity. 

Kai refills the parking meter and jogs across the road. Simple, he reminds himself as he enters the quiet white space. He searches the rows, not knowing what he’s going for but knowing he’ll know it when he sees it. And he does see it, about forty minutes later, his gaze landing on the perfect piece. 

“Excuse me, can I see that?” he asks the sales person. 

-

When Bonnie gets home she immediately goes to Howard who has surprisingly few bouquets left beside him. 

“I told you, they’re nice,” he says when she asks him how he got rid of so many so quickly. “Put a few in the break room, set aside some to take home, and this city loves free things.”She hugs him briefly, not being able to help it and he chuckles, surprised. “You’ve got yourself quite the suitor. New guy?”

“No,” she grumps. “Very, very old and up to old shit.”

“Ah,” he says. Bonnie opens her purse and digs into her wallet. She hands him one hundred dollars.”

“Oh, Ms. Bennett, I-“

“Helped me so much today. And I appreciate it. Think of it my early Valentine’s gift, from me to you. Please,” she insists.

He tucks the bill away in his pocket. “I appreciate it.”

“I appreciate you,” she stresses. He nods and she smiles, rubbing his arm. She strides inside and heads upstairs to grab some essentials while texting the sitter for Blueberry.

-

When she gets to Kai’s house he isn’t home yet so she lets herself in. The house is still and feels safe, far away from Damon and whatever he may or may not have been planning. It doesn’t matter either way when she’s here. She kicks off her heels, hangs up her coat, and goes into the living room to drop onto the couch. She suddenly feels exhausted. Laying down and curling up on her side, she closes her eyes just to think. 

She can’t keep doing this. She panicked and fled the scene today, but it hits her pride especially hard this time. Caroline was right - he does run her away from places but never from work. Social engagements she didn’t feel like seeing him at? Sure. Her home? Only on a couple of occasions, but that was when they were younger and more volatile. But never, ever her workplace. 

He’s attempting to kickstart their cyclical nature again and Bonnie doesn’t want it to happen. She has to have a talk with him and soon. Once she figures out exactly what to say and how to say it without it all devolving into an unholy mess. 

She vaguely wonders where Kai is, and thinks that she can’t wait to tell him he definitely needs to get ready for screen shots. She hears to the sound of a car alarm sounding briefly as it locks and she wonders if it’s Kai. That’s her last stray thought before she drifts off into a surprisingly deep sleep. 

—

The first thing he notices when he gets home is he can smell hints of her perfume and her high heels are at the front door. Both stir that feeling of ‘ _home_ ’ inside of him again. It’s quiet and he soon sees why; he walks down the hallway and comes around the couch to see that she’s curled up, fast asleep. He tilts his head, taking her in, and the amount of satisfaction that fills him up at the sight should be absurd. Quietly he moves to the space between the couch and table and squats down, peering into her face. He pushes her hair over her ear and rubs her earlobe. 

“Hey,” he whispers. He would let her sleep but he knows she’ll toss and turn all night and be in a bad mood the next day. She shifts slightly. “Wake up, Bonster.” She breathes in deeply, shifting to lie on her back but keeping her face turned in his direction. Her eyes are still closed but he knows she’s awake now. “Hey,” he says, kissing her softly. 

“What time is it?” she murmurs. 

”Half past seven,” he says, scratching her scalp lightly and she leans into the feeling. 

“Okay good. I didn’t sleep too long.” She opens her eyes, blinking and when her gaze focuses she smiles at him softly. “Hey.” 

He grins. “Happy Birthday.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m about to start cooking.”

“Mmm,” she sighs, sitting up on her elbow and stretching a little. “What are we making?”

“You mean what am _I_ making for _you_?” he corrects. 

“No, let me help,” she says. “It helps me relax.”

He frowns. “Stressful day? I told ya; you should’ve played hookey with me.”

She grins and sits up fully and he moves out of his squatting position to sit on the living room table. “No, it was fine. I’ll tell you later. But I still want to help. I like cooking with you and I’m in the mood.”

“Okay,” he nods, studying her. She runs her hands through her hair and her eyes look a little off. “You sure you’re ok?”

“I’m sure,” she says, leaning forward. He thinks she’s going to kiss him but she just brushes their cheeks together, breathing deeply, and when she pulls back the black gift bag with matching tissue paper he forgot he was holding is now in her hands. He laughs as she looks down slyly at it. “Is this for me?” 

“Yeah,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck, momentarily a little nervous. “It’s simple, I know but you said you didn’t want anything crazy...”

She digs through the bag and when she pulls out the box of perfume she grins. “Oh,” she says, eyes sparkling. She looks at him. “How did you know I wanted this?” It’s a fragrance by Louis Vuitton, named Nomade. 

“I noticed you had every other scent.” Just like her jewelry, she has her perfume arranged neatly, all of them lined up on a glass shelf in the bathroom. All the other bottles in this collection are distinct in shape and color, heavy, with uniquely shaped tops. She has them all except this one. It was a gamble; either she didn’t have it because she didn’t like it, or because she hadn’t gotten it yet. He’d noticed the gap in the lineup and hoped he was right in assuming she’d needed a refill

“This is my favorite one,” she says, voice appreciative and surprised. She unwraps it from the plastic, and opens the box, spraying a fine mist into the air. Her eyes close, breathing deeply. “Oh, I love it. Did you smell it before you buy it?”

He nods. “It reminded me of you,” he says honestly. 

She smiles, and she closes her eyes, breathing deeply again. “I love it,” she says once more, and he can tell he did a good job. She opens her eyes and looks at him warmly and when she leans forward again she does kiss him, fingers playing with the soft hairs at his nape, smiling against his lips when the sensation makes him shiver a little. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” They sit there, foreheads against the other’s, her hand playing in his hair, both of his holding hers, idly playing with the ring that rests there. Finally she pulls back, carefully puts the heavy bottle away and says to him, head tipped to the side, eyes back to how he’s used to seeing them, happy and relaxed, “What are we making?”

-

Dinner was a success, he thinks as he towels off his damp hair. Bonnie is still in the shower, unable to leave the strong, scalding spray she swears works out the knots in her shoulders and back. He thinks about how she savored his creamy Tuscan Chicken recipe and was over the moon when he brought out the Raspberry Elegance cake he’d made that morning. He’d watched her eat two fat slices,feeling extremely proud every time she insisted “this is literally all I wanted,” or would squint and ask “You _made_ this? With your _hands_?” He pulls on some boxer briefs and sweatpants and lays on the bed, TV playing lowly in the background as he scrolls on his phone. As he does a drop down alert from Instagram appears. He clicks it and sees it’s for the hashtag BonnieBennetTalentandCasting. He’d forgotten he had set the alerts. It seems like forever ago when he set _all_ the alerts for the casting agencies with social media pages, wanting to keep up with open calls. The photo that set off his alert makes him smile a little. It’s Bonnie and her assistant, hair now silver, hugging each other and smiling. ‘ _Happy Birthday to the best boss ever!!’_ it reads. Bonnie’s eyes sparkle happily and he looks at her fondly. He’s about to switch to a different app when he spies something in the corner of the picture. Flowers, a big bouquet of flowers that stands tall. Something unpleasant niggles in his brain and he clicks on Maria’s page. It’s public, and there’s another picture with Bonnie, and the flowers are in better view. He stares at them, unable to look away. _Let it go,_ he tells himself. _They’re just flowers_. But not regular flowers, these look different. The arrangement is big. Too big for Maria’s desk, where they stand. 

_ Cala Lillies next time... _

Hoping against hope that he’s wrong Kai pulls up Google and types in Cala Lillies. Immediately, he feels his jaw get tight. Just then another Instagram alert drops down and he automatically clicks it. It’s from a stray blog he started following when The Journals started streaming and they had a couple of posts about it. His ears and face immediately feel flaming hot. There are photos of Damon and Bonnie looking comfortable and casual, eating at a fucking Panera. It’s dated for today. She’s wearing what she wore today. The next picture is of them hugging on the curb. ‘ _Damon Salvatore spotted grabbing a quick lunch with Bonnie Bennett in NYC today. Yes, the same Bonnie from Aspen’_ it reads with a pair of emoji eyes looking to the side and a mug of steaming, what he assumes to be, tea. 

He feels that territorial part of him rear up along with the anger and he cracks his neck, breathing deeply. He sets his phone down instead of throwing it at the wall like he wants to and waits for Bonnie to leave the bathroom.

—-

“Your water pressure is amazing,” Bonnie says as she wanders into the bedroom. “I know I always say that but-“ she stops talking when she sees Kai sitting on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, hands folded, staring at her and not like he usually does. His eyes are hard and angry. She swallows as she pats her skin dry. “What’s wrong?” she asks, aiming for unbothered, but landing firmly on ‘ _oh shit.’_

“That business meeting you went to,” he says, voice level, pinning her with that heavy gaze, “that Dirkin never showed up to last month. How did Salvatore invite you?”

Bonnie begins to get very nervous. “What do you mean?”

He runs his tongue over his teeth under his lip and he sounds like he’s trying not to lose his temper when he continues. “Was it a text? An email? A phone call?”

She closes her eyes briefly. _Damnit_. He waits for her to answer. “It was in person,” she admits, already tired.

“Mhm. So Salvatore is visiting you now.”

“It was for -“

“Work. Yeah. Did he have flowers delivered that day?” She shakes her head no. “Did he _bring_ you flowers that day?” She nods, and his knee begins to jump slightly. 

“So. When you came home to tell me about that ‘work dinner,’ with your ex, that the other producer ‘didn’t show up to,’ the invitation came in person? Via said ex? _With_ flowers in hand?” 

“I gave them to Maria,” she says quickly. “I didn’t even keep them-“

“Is he still dropping flowers off?” He talks over her, knee still jumping, eyes still pinning her. “Or having them sent to you?” Bonnie nods miserably. “Ok!” He stands up quickly and she startles slightly, backing up, heart thudding heavily once, but all he does is start pacing. “So I guess my next question is why are you lying to me?”

“I’m -“

“No, let me rephrase that. Why do you keep lying to me?”

“I’m not sure,” she says, feeling like she’s outside of her body for a moment. And she’s telling the truth; she doesn’t know exactly. 

“You aren’t sure?”

“I just don’t want you to worry or get angry-“

He stops pacing and looks at her. “You think I’m not going to be either when you’re sneaking around and hiding stuff like your ex sending you gifts and you agreeing to having dinner alone with him when he brings said gifts?!” He looks like he can’t believe what is coming out of his own mouth. 

“I didn’t know he was going to show up with flowers! And I really didn’t know Dirkin wasn’t going to show!”

“And now you’re having lunch with him?”

“What?”

He tosses his phone on the end of the bed and she picks it up. She sees her and Damon sitting in the window front of that goddamn Panera and then thier hug goodbye.

“I was going to tell you about this after my shower,” she says shaking her head. “And Dirkin was at this! I met him! He’s great! We finished up choices today. You made it forward - that’s what I wanted to tell you-“

“I don’t care about that right now,” he grits out. “What else don’t I know?”

She hates how his face looks when she bites her lip. His face twists in disappointment and he rubs his forehead roughly. “I got rid of them!” she implores. It’s then she realizes that she’s still naked so she digs through his dresser and grabs a random t-shirt. She pulls it on and sits on the bed. “He sent flowers today, for my birthday. A lot.”

“How many is a lot?”

“Thirty-four. An arrangement for every year,” she mutters and Kai scoffs. “But I had my doorman give them away,” she insists. “I didn’t want them.” Kai looks so irritated and upset that her knee jerk reaction is to not tell him the rest, but she realizes that’s what got them here in the first place. “And...I got this. Delievered to my office, _after_ I got back from that lunch.” She goes to dig in her purse and pulls out the golden box. She hands it over to Kai who eyes her and flips it open, lookingincensed when he does. “What the fuck?” He gapes at the diamond set. “It’s just missing a fucking ring!”

“I was going to give it back-“

“When?”

“Next week! I didn’t want to see him for the rest of the week or this weekend for any reason. I even shut off my phone!”

“You weren’t going to tell me about this,” he sounds incredulous and it doesn’t come out like a question. 

She looks down at her bare legs, barely covered in his faded Pink Floyd T-shirt.

“Bonnie,” and he sounds so hurt. “Why do you keep lying when it comes to him?”

“I dont know!” she exclaims. “I just want to act like he’s not even there-“

“As you carry around twenty thousand dollars worth of jewelry from him in your fucking purse!” He shouts, waving the box. 

Bonnie looks away. “I’m sorry. I just dont want him to be an issue in this.”

“Why would he be an issue?”

“Because he’s doing all of this!” she waves her hands. “He keeps trying to get me to come back.”

“That’s not my biggest problem,” he says to her voice raising. “It’s you, lying about it! Keeping it from me. Why the fuck do you keep things from me when it’s about him? Are you afraid that what he’s doing is going to work? You tell me everything else! If you could remember what you ate yesterday three years ago you’d tell me! I know what songs you played on repeat in the summer of 2011. I know about weird stuff you did at Summer camp-”

“I don’t like talking about him!” she shouts. “At all! You don’t get it. I don’t like him occupying any time or space in my head. I don’t want him to be in any of our conversations. I dont like that he’s even a factor period!”

“Is there anything else?” he asks and Bonnie is about to say no when she grimaces, remembering. 

“He’s in town.”

“He’s in town,” he repeats in a monotone. 

“For a while, not permanently. But he’s here, in New York, at his place.” She looks to the side. “Which is twenty minutes away from me.” 

Kai’s eyebrows shoot up and he groans. “Okay, this isn’t going to work.”

Bonnie’s heart begins to pound and she hears a rushing in her ears. “What?” she asks, faintly.

“This,” he says. “You. Lying to me, omitting information about him. It’s not going to work. He’s twenty minutes away from you now? You lied about where he _lives_? This can’t work like this. We can’t do this. You can’t do this, Bonnie.”

“I know!”

“Do you? Because you keep doing it!”

“Kai, please. I’m sorry.” He just shakes his head and tosses the box onto the dresser. He looks at it disgusted. She feels like crying, her heart feels like its cracking as her chest caves in. Is he ending things? He can’t. 

“I won’t- I know it probably doesn’t matter now but I promise. I won’t do it again.” Kai’s nostrils flare.

“Are you fucking with me? Is this some sort of game or power trip thing?” he asks bluntly.

“What?” She shakes her head. “No.”

“Do you -“ he clears his throat. “Do you love him, Bonnie, because I can’t-“

“No! No, Kai, I don’t. I promise it’s nothing like that. I-“ the words get stuck in her throat. She loves _him_. She loves Kai - she’s pretty sure this is what this is but she can’t say it. “It’s not, Bubs, I promise.”

“Tell me the truth,” he says, voice so raw it hurts her. “Because I can’t do this if you are.”

“I’m not.”

“I literally can’t” and his voice is strained. “I can’t do that.Be with you if you are. I’m putting everything into this,” he admits.

“I am too.” He looks at her, eyes searching.  “I am. I promise, I am. I just keep... fucking it up, but I’m trying. You’re all I think about. _You’re_ who I want.” 

“I need you to mean that, because you’re _actually_ who _I_ want,” he says stiffly. “And I show you that by being transparent. I don’t lie.”

“I know.”

“And I hate being lied to.”

“I know.”

“So why?”

“I don’t know,” she says, eyes watering. The silence draws out. “Do you want me to go?” she asks quietly 

“No,” he says, sighing. “I just... don’t want to talk anymore right now.” He goes to his side of the bed and strips like usual and she pulls off his over-sized T-shirt. They arrange themselves under the blankets and he turns off the light. The silence that follows is so heavy and repressive it feels like an actual weight on Bonnie’s entire body. Even though he doesn’t say anything she knows he’s still awake. She can’t relax, can’t think straight, until she knows he feels better. Not until he fully understands. She stares at the smooth skin of his back in the warm, orange glow that peaks in the windows courtesy of the street lights.

“Kai.” He doesn’t say anything. She touches his back. “Bubby, please.” He shifts. _Just tell the truth_. “I don’t know what to do when it comes to you. I don’t know what I’m doing, literally. I think I’m doing the right thing at the time, and then this happens, and...” she sighs. “This happens, and I think back and I realize it’s wrong. Just _all_ _wrong_ and _stupid_. I...” she drifts off and he moves to lay on his back, turning his head to look over at her. “I just dont know. I’m in uncharted emotional territory when it comes to you, to this. To us. But I never mean to hurt you. Never. I don’t know. It’s not an excuse but maybe I just got so used to glossing things over... of being afraid...” She falls silent again.

“Bonnie, I want to trust you. I still trust you but it’s getting harder when you do things like this,” he explains, voice infinitely more gentle in the near darkness. 

“I know. I’m sorry.” She moves closer pressing her side to his arm, hating the space between them. She sighs a little. “I really don’t know what I’m doing with you. I’m trying so hard, I’m overthinking everything because I-“ he turns his body to face hers completely.

“Why?” he asks, voice low. 

“Because I... I’ve just never felt this way before.”

“Which is how?” 

“Like...” Like she can’t get the words out. They want to be heard so badly but she can’t say it. “I...”

She leans in and kisses him softly instead, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “Tell me,” he murmurs against her lips, like he needs to hear it. She kisses him again, hoping he can tell what she means. How did she get here, where she can’t even tell the man she loves that she loves him? “Show me?” he whispers and that she can do. That’s easier for her somehow than saying three little words that she means with all her heart. 

So she worships him. She kisses up and down his body, draws the breath from his lungs when she puts him in her mouth and does everything she knows will make him moan and want to watch every movement through heavy eyes. She lets him use her tongue to pull him to the edge before she swallows around him one last time and moving away, sliding back up his body to straddle his waist and sink down onto him slowly, exhaling deeply when he fills her up. He tries to roll them over once but she laces their fingers together and pins his hands to the mattress. “No,” she whispers into his ear, wanting him to just lay back and feel what she’s trying to tell him through how she moves. 

It doesn’t take long tonight; Bonnie’s quickly approaching her own peak when he starts to move his hips in that familiar rhythm. He starts to breathe a little heavily, quietly, and she places her hand over his chest, relishing the way his heart pounds against her palm. His hands grip her hips, ready to lift her off. “I’m-“ she cuts him off with her mouth on his when she leans down to kiss him deeply. He wraps both arms around her waist, holding her closer as she moves her hips the way he likes when he’s on the edge. His grip gets tighter than ever and his hips thrust roughly, stutter in their rhythm; she feels him harden and pulse inside of her, thrusting his hips jerkily and she squeezes her muscles around him, swallowing his moans. She feels it when he fills her up, warm and slick, and she moves her hips in indulgent circles as his grip loosens, basking in the sensation of their essence mixing together. His kiss turns hungry, hips moving lazily inside of her, and he sucks her bottom lip, bitting it, making a broken sound in the back his throat. He’s still hard and she sits back up and closes her eyes, focusing on her clit rubbing against slickness and finding just the right amount of friction. She thinks about him inside of her right now, how good it feels to have him dripping down her inner thigh and she moans, back arching. Kai palms her breasts and murmers encouragingly. ‘Cmon Bon, come for me,’ he says and his voice slides through her deliciously. She moves faster and when she opens her eyes slightly to look down at him, his eyes are fixed on her, drinking her in, looking as if he’s in a dream. He licks his lips, the bottom one slipping through his teeth and he looks so turned on he appears to be out of it. He meets her eyes and they’re so blissed out it pushes her over the edge. She cries out as her orgasm washes over her and she can hear himmoaning with her. His hips snap up three or four more times before stilling and he says, voice sounding hoarse and drugged, “Fuck- oh sh-“ he relaxes back into the bed, hips grinding up into hers and Bonnie rides out her after shocks. 

“Did you come again?” she gasps and he nods, breathing quickly. She laughs a little and falls onto his chest, exhausted. They stay connected as she thinks. Or tries to. Her mind is a hazy, blue washed, blissful mess. 

She’s never done that before; or better worded, she’s never allowed anyone to do that before. No one. She waits to feel fear, nervousness, trepidation, but all that’s there is peace. _I’ll take a Plan B in the morning._

“That’s how I feel,” she breathes, chest rising and falling quickly against his. He doesn’t say anything, just brings his hands up to cup her face, making her look at him in the amber light. He stares at her for a long time and kisses her for an even longer time. 

“I’m yours. I’m _only_ yours,” she says when they part. “I-“ the words get stuck again but she tries. “I...”

He kisses the corner of her mouth and sits them up a little. “You’re not falling alone,” he whispers. “You’re not.”

She closes her eyes, heart and tongue warring. “I love you,” she whispers to him. “I think I love you so damn much and I don’t know what to do with it.”

“I love you too.” She looks him directly in the eyes, a little ripple of surprise running through her. 

“You do?” Her eyes burn.

He nods, laughing a little. “Yeah.”

“Say it again,” she says against his lips.

“I love you.” She likes how it feels.

“Again.”

“I love you.”  


Bonnie kisses him and she tastes salt. She’s probably crying but she doesn’t care. When isn’t she these days? 

“I love you too,” she says again, loving the way the words feel coming out of her mouth even if they feel a little clumsy. “No more secrets?”

“No more secrets,” he agrees, wiping away her tears, face still in his hands. “We’re a team,” he says a little fiercely. “We aren’t working against each other, remember that okay? We’re in this together.” She nods quickly and he kisses her again. 

-

The next couple of days Bonnie is in a haze. She operates at full capacity, she smiles, and speaks, and works but it’s all on autopilot. It’s like she’s floating in a liquid pink world where she only fully comes into focus when she’s around Kai. 

If this is what being in love and accepting it feels like she’s all in. She can’t get enough of it and him. She couldn’t before, but now she feels herself aching for his touch and feels zero shame. And he reciprocates, reaching for her if she’s not reaching for him, catching his gaze lingering on her profile and when she turns he doesn’t look away. And she thought they were making a copious amount of love before, but now it all bleeds into each other, just a constant, natural instinct that they give into, and she vaguely wonders if this is normal. This...happiness. This lightness and peace. This hyperfocus on someone without the lingering worry of being hurt or left behind. Was this normal, the way her priorities shifted so immediately that now he is second only to her career? It couldnt be typical, one’s mind going from teetering on ‘is this The One?’ to settling firmly on ‘obviously it is.’

Her co-workers comment on her temperament, asking if she is okay, or if she tried something different with her makeup. Kwame jokingly asks her if she dipped into that ‘Colorado stash’ she must have smuggled back into the city. She smiles slightly at all of their speculations, assuring them everything is the same when in reality everything has shifted dramatically and in the best way. She doesn’t even think twice about sending Damon to voicemail until the week is out and telling Maria to tell him she was out of the office if he called or stopped by. 

She’ll deal with him next week. After the holiday and once this feeling has settled nicely into her bones. She won’t let anything ruin this. Or try to. 

Not yet. 

—

“I wish it wasn’t still nippy out,” she says. “Then we could have dinner on the balcony.” 

She’s sitting at her vanity, carefully applying her makeup. 

“Don’t feel like going out?” Kai says from where he’s shaving in the bathroom. 

“I do. Or don’t,” she says noncommittal. “I just want to be with you, honestly.” She blows idly on an eyelash, loving how freely the words flow from her. 

“Same,” he says and she can hear the smile in his voice which in turn causes her to smile softly to herself. “But I do have these reservations.”

“You still haven’t told me where.”

“You’ll like it,” he says. 

She’s sure she will. She finishes up her makeup and looks at herself in the mirror, at this new expression she wears. It might seem bored or aloof to anyone else but she’s just that worry free. She looks regal and proud, relaxed and poised. Bonnie thinks idly that she should have looked and felt this way all along but she doesn’t dwell. She rises from the vanity chair and walks into her closet

“Babe,” she hears him say and she smirks at the tone in his voice.

“I’m just looking.”

“The red is perfect.”

“But the pink is too. “

“It is,” he agrees. “But you made me get a red shirt.”

“Red and pink go...”

The silence makes her laugh aloud, knowing that he hates the combination.

“Okay, okay. Red it is. I need you to zip me up though.”

—

She stands in front of the mirror inspecting her outfit from head to toe. The red dress is gorgeous, greecian in style, draped beautifully where it falls just above the knee and the slit is tasteful yet just high enough to shy on this side of daring. The blood red color brings out the undertones in her skin and the simple diamonds she wears in her ears and on her wrists are perfect. 

“You look beautiful,” Kai murmurs, coming up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. She turns in his embrace. 

“No, you look beautiful. Jeeze.” Her mouth waters as she looks at him in his dark suit, and tie, the cut perfect, the red of his shirt looking great against his skin. “Mmm, you smell good, too,” she says. 

“You do too.”

“Thanks to you.”

“Is that the perfume I got you? “ She nods. “It smells even better on. I swear, how do you do that?” She giggles and turns so she can look at both of their reflections in the mirror. They look striking together, she can admit. 

He whistles. “Damn, we look good together.” 

_Yeah, we do_ she thinks, but all she does is tilt her head up and he kisses her softly. “Let’s go,” she says quietly. 

—

The hostess seats them in the beautiful dining area and Kai tries to seem like he isn’t insanely proud by the way Bonnie’s eyes are lit up. 

Once seated she immediately asks him, “How the hell did you get a reservation for Ai Fiori on Valentine’s day? It’s impossible; they’re always booked solid.”

Kai smirks, shrugging like it’s no big deal. As if he wasn’t calling everyday since New Year’s Day to see if there were any cancellations. He knew somehow, somewhere in New York someone’s New Year’s resolution would be to dump their girlfriend or boyfriend and all he had to do was be ready. 

The night passes quickly with delicious food and red wine, both of their moods relaxed and in tune and it isn’t until they’re almost done with dessert that Bonnie starts to fidget. 

“Okay,” she begins, sounding a little nervous. “I’m going to go first because if you hate it you can withold yours.” He smiles at her warmly. “It’s weird,” she warns him. 

“Well, you’re a little...” he jokes and she grins. 

“Shut up,” she says playfully and then goes back to looking nervous again. “Actually, I take it back. I’ll get you something else.”

“That’s not allowed,” he says. 

She rolls her eyes. “Okay, but just hear me out. Don’t get freaked out. It’s a thing in my family. I don’t know where we got the tradition from, but my dad always talked about how my mom got him one, and I know my Grams gave my Granddad one.”

“Okay,” he says, extremely curious now. 

“It’s a gesture. Of protection.” She shakes her head. “It sounds silly, but it’s a Bennett thing. So don’t freak out.”

“Okay,” he says solemnly, trying not to smile. “I won’t freak out.” She still seems hesitant, but she reaches into her purse and pulls out a small square box and hands it to him gingerly. He unwraps it carefully and sees a blue velvet box. It looks like a ring box. He opens it and feels his eyebrows raise. It looks like a ring box, because it is one. A simple dark ring sits snug in a dark cushion. In the light he can see that it has an inscription. He takes it out and holds it closer. 

_sum tui et suscepi te_ , it reads.

“It means, ‘I will protect thee,’” she says. “Well, technically ‘I will uphold thee’ but same sentiments.”

Kai stares at the ring, and tries to process what he’s feeling. It’s good. Overwhelmingly good. Horrified, he feels a lump starting to form in his throat and he blinks hard once. 

“We’re only supposed to gift one. Only to the one we...,” she says quietly, trailing away, his non-reaction probably making her nervous and he swallows. The lump stays. “I guessed the size, it’s for your middle finger...” she trails off again, and his eyes are still fucking burning. He clears his throat. 

“I’m sorry. You don’t like it.”

“I love it,” he says quietly. He disguises the wiping if his inner eye with what looks to be a simple rub to the side of his nose. “I really love it.” He looks up at her and she looks worried still. “Bonnie. I love it,” he repeats, looking her in the eyes and she relaxes minutely. He laughs a little to cover the emotion he feels, suddenly acutely aware of the other diners around them. He slips it onto his middle finger of his left hand. It fits perfectly. “Tradition, huh,” he asks voice strained with trying not to crack. “I made it into the Bennett fold.”

She nods. “Do you really like it?”

“Yeah, I do.” He wants to kiss her. Really kiss her, in a way that would get them kicked out of this fine dining establishment and it must show in his eyes because she blushes slightly and looks away. He realizes then, with her looking beautifully demure under the light of the restaurant, ring warming to match the temperature of his skin that he’ll probably cry on their wedding day. His brothers and sisters will have a field day with that one. 

“Okay, my turn,” he says and picks up the small red gift bag he’s kept in his eyeline all day once he saw Bonnie stop and smile guiltily when she noticed him watching as she crept towards it earlier. She wriggles a little in her seat, excited to finally open it. After seeing what Salvatore sent her on her birthday he wonders if she’ll like it, but he pushes the doubt aside. He watches her pull out the black velvet box and flip it open. 

“Oh, Kai,” she says softly when she sees the round, golden locket that has a crescent moon tucked into the corner. She touches it delicately. 

“Open it,” he says quietly 

She does and immediately her eyes begin to shine. She sets the box down and carefully removes the necklace. She stares down at it, smiling faintly, gaze a little distant. “How did you get a picture of her?”

“Your living room. I saw an album and you’re right. She has a presence, even in pictures.” He’d picked one where Sheila was younger, vibrant, and laughing. The photo itself already had a nostalgic feel as all real photos do now. He’d gotten a copy made, shrunk it down to size, and slipped the original back where he’d gotten it. 

She wipes her eyes. “I love it. Thank you, Kai.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I love you,” she says and it’s the first time she’s said it since her confession a few nights ago. 

“I love you too,” he says warmly. He watches her gaze at her grandmother’s face for another minute before she blinks, as if coming out of a deep sea of memories. 

“Can you help me put it on?” she asks. 

He nods and rises from his chair to carefully fasten it around her throat, letting his touch linger on her skin. She fingers it even when it’s on, and she gazes at him as he sits back down. Her green eyes are a mixture of happiness and warmth, fondness with a lick of something hotter. “You thought of this all by yourself?” she asks him. He nods.  “Let’s get the check,” she says smiling slightly and he nods, raising two fingers in the air to signal an approaching waiter. 

—

The fact that they make it to the bedroom is a miracle. She’s been teasing him the whole drive home, her hand drifting up and down his thigh and the second the elevator door closes she pulls him forward kissing him like they’ll never get a chance to do it again. 

They dont even take off all of their clothes, and it reminds him of the first night they met, when he could barely hold back. But he doesn’t have to now. They belong to each other. He only succeeds in taking off his suit jacket and shirt and she still has her dress on when they drop onto the bed in a flurry of movement. 

The sound she lets out when he enters her has him pressing his lips against hers and they quickly get lost in each other. She’s half gasping, half laughing into his mouth, when there’s a loud sound and Blueberry barks from outside the bedroom door, growling. A second later Kai hears the sound again and he stops moving, listening intently, immediately alert. 

“What was that?” Bonnie asks, confused and breathless. 

“I don’t know.” He hears the thud again and Blueberry is going crazy. “Stay here,” he says, pulling out of her. He pulls his underwear and pants back up, gets off of the bed, and heads towards the bedroom door. 

When he reaches the hallway he immediately hears the sound again, repeatedly, and there’s a muffled voice accompanying it. It’s coming from the door, someone is banging on it, calling her name.

“Bonnie! Open the door!” _Bang bang._ Blueberry barks again and Kai presses his eye to the peephole. He feels all the blood rush to his head in anger as he sees Salvatore. His immediate response is to open the door like the idiot asks, but as he reaches for the handle to swing it open he hears Bonnie say from behind him, “Kai, don’t.”

“What do you mean don’t? He’s banging on your door at one a.m.”

“He’s probably drunk,” she says. 

“Exactly. He needs to get lost.”

“I’ll get rid of him,” she insists. 

“Bonnie-“

“We’re trying to keep this a secret remember?”

“I don’t care,” he says and he means it when all he can hear is the drunken man calling Bonnie’s name. 

“Well, I do. I don’t want your career fucked up because of this. Screenshots are in a week. I can get rid of him.”

Kai tries again. He doesn’t have a good feeling about this. Salvatore knocks hard. “Bonnie-“

Theres an extra loud bang. “God. Listen just- go. In the bedroom. Please, it’ll take five minutes.” Kai stares at her hard. “And take Blue with you,” she adds. 

“No, keep him with you.”

“He might rip his calf out.”

“Isn’t that the point?”

”Please,” she damn near begs. 

He’s seething and doesn’t know what to do. He wants to take care of this, but he doesn’t want to bulldoze over her. He decides to do as she asks, making sure not to promise that there isn’t a time limit. More than five minutes and if Salvatore won’t listen, Kai is getting involved. 

“Please,” she pleads, again.

“Fine,” he says, near fuming. 

He takes Blueberry by the collar and leads him down the hall. He closes him in the bedroom while he himself stays in the hallway, listening. He checks his watch when he hears the door open.

“Damon,” he hears Bonnie say breathlessly. “What are you doing?”

“Bonnie,” the other man seems to breathe out in relief. “I knew you’d answer.”

“It’s almost one in the morning.”

“Aren’t you glad to see me?” He sounds drunk. Really drunk. 

“Banging at my door in the middle of the night? No. What are you doing?” Kai hears the door close. 

“You went out?” Salvatore observes, probably taking in the dress Bonnie still wears. “Why didn’t you invite me?”

“Why would I? It’s Valentine’s day.” She pauses. “Where’s Nora?”

“I don't fucking know,” he hears the man grumble, sounding sour. “She’s... ridiculous. She threw a fucking fit.”

Kai hears Bonnie sigh. “Listen, I’m about to go to bed. Can we talk later. When you’re sober?”

“Let’s talk now. Let’s go lay down and talk like we used to.” Kai’s nostrils flare. “Did you go on a date?” Salvatore asks, the dots connecting in his head, a little delayed in his inebriated state.

“Damon, no. And that’s none of your business. Just go.”

“I knew it,” he says. “I knew you were with someone else. You’ve been acting funny. You won’t take my calls. Did you even like my presents? For your birthday?” 

“I’m not talking about this right now. I’m tired-“

“I miss you,” Kai hears and the man sounds distraught, and slightly slurred.” “I miss you so much.”

“Damon. Where. Is. Nora?” Bonnie asks again. “I’ll call her for you. What’s her number.”

“I don’t know. I don’t care.” He sounds annoyed. There’s a moment of silence and then, “C’mere. Why won’t you let me touch you? You won’t let me touch you anymore.”

“Because I don’t _want_ you to touch me.”

“Since when?”

Bonnie sighs. “Damon. _Why_ are you _here_?”

“Because I love you,” he says it like it’s obvious and Bonnie laughs at this. 

“Since when? Yeah, you’re drunk as hell.”

“I do,” Salvatore insists. “You know I do. I always have.”

“You have a crazy way of showing it,” she mutters.

“It’s crazy, in my world,” he rambles. “There’s so many people... but you’re the one who’s always there.” There’s a long pause. “Why won’t you marry me?”

Kai’s heart thumps hard and his pulse speeds up. Salvatore’s asked her to marry him before?When? He doesn’t know why this upsets him far more than anything he’s heard so far. He feels his stomach churn and it’s been past five minutes but he waits to hear her answer. 

“Because I don’t _want_ to marry you. And you don’t even want to marry me. Just stop,” she says imploringly. “You’re so drunk-“

“I’ll give you anything you want. I always have, I always will-“

“I don’t want anything from you except for you to leave. Now.” There’s a long pause. 

“You’re the only one who doesn’t want anything from me. All these women just want fame. Or money. Or trips and cars. You never wanted anything.” Another long pause. “Bonnie, please... just look. Look.”

Theres a long silence and Kai doesn’t know what’s going on. He’s about to come around the corner, his mind filling in terrible scenarios where Bonnie is too close to the other man, leaning into him, but then she hears her speak quietly. “What is that?”

“I miss you,” he says his voice pitched low. “I love you. I’m _sorry_ -“

“Put that away,” she sounds sad. 

“It’s your size. It’s your favorite cut-“

“I don’t want it, Damon. I’m sorry. I don’t-“

“Marry me,” his voice is low and pleading. “I got this for you. Years ago. It’s for you.” 

“Damon-“

“Try it on and then tell me you don’t love it.”

“Damon- no. Please-“

“Bon,” he sounds so miserable.

“Damon, get off.”

“You won’t even hug me anymore.”

“Damon, you need to go home. Stop it. Just-let go-“

Kai can’t stand it. He doesn’t want to be hiding like he’s doing anything wrong in the first place and he can’t listen to the distress in Bonnie’s voice. And he’s fucking _touching_ her. 

“Okay,” Kai says emerging from the hallway. He sees Bonnie leaning away and Salvatore holding her around the waist, not letting her go, looking at her with hurt eyes. In his hand is a black velvet box and Kai glimpses a big, shining rock. “Yeah this stops now. You need to go.”

“Who the fuck is _this_?” Salvatore says, squinting at him drunkenly and Kai sees Bonnie slip out of his grip at his distraction. 

“Kai, it’s ok,” Bonnie says hurriedly, immediately going towards him, putting her hands on his bare chest to placate him. 

“No it isn’t.” He says, voice hard. He directs his next words to Salvatore. “She said go. Go.”

“Who the _fuck_ is _Kai_?” Salvatore spits out, sloshed annoyance coloring his voice. He gestures to Kai. “Were you fucking him just now?” He seems genuinely confused taking in the state of Kai’s undress. “Is this him? Who you’ve been blowing me off for?”

“Damon, just go,” Bonnie begs.

“You look familiar,” Salvatore says sharply, cutting her off. “Where do I know you from?” He can’t be that drunk, Kai thinks but then he remembers he’s clean shaven. He’s been auditioning with a beard this whole time. 

“Damon-“ the stress in Bonnie’s voice rises significantly. 

“Wait.” Salvatore steps closer and laughs incredulously. “You’re... you’re uh, Parker. Malachai. God what a fucking name. It’s you, isn’t it? You’re auditioning for my movie.” He laughs incredulously and looks at Bonnie, eyes burning. “This is the reason why you kept pushing him on me? You wanted to get your little boyfriend a job?” His voice is scathing

“You know its not like that,” Bonnie says. “He’s good. Even Dirkin likes him-“

“Yeah, he’s good,” Salvatore says lowly, almost to himself and looks back at Kai. “You’re bold as fuck, you know that? You’re trying to come _work_ for me while you’re fucking my girlfriend-“

“Fuck you,” Kai says right as Bonnie says “Jesus Christ, Damon. I’m not your fucking girlfriend.”

“We’ve been together our whole lives,” the man says dismissively. “Stop it, Bonnie.”

“Since when?” Bonnie shouts at him. “The last time we really tried we were what? Twenty something? And that was a goddamn mess! You don’t remember? It’s been over ten years since I was anything but a distraction for you and I barely saw you for nearly of five of them! You don’t own me.”

“We kissed-“

“Months ago. And so fucking what? You kiss everyone,” she sounds annoyed and mildly disgusted. “Get out Damon.”

“C’mon Bonnie,” he reaches for her and Kai steps in front of her small frame. 

“She’s not going anywhere,” he feels the anger licking at him, that old anger that almost got him locked away years and years ago. 

“You should get out my way,” the other man says. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”

Kai laughs at this. “You mean when it comes to you? I think I’ll be ok.”

“Do you know who I am?” _Is he serious right now?_

Kai laughs again. “Does it look like I’m worried? Who do _you_ think you are right now? Reese Witherspoon? Who the hell says-“

It happens so quickly. Salvatore reaches for Bonnie again and Kai pushes his arm away. Salvatore unexpectedly pushes him hard in the chest and Kai pushes back harder making Salvatore stumble. “Kai, don’t,” he hears Bonnie say, but he’s focused on Salvatore whose bright blue eyes are burning with anger. He comes back at Kai, shoving him so hard he feels himself bump into Bonnie who gasps in pain and Kai immediately sees red. He shoves Salvatore hard enough that the man almost falls onto the ground, but he grabs him by the lapels of his suit jacket before he can hit the floor, hauls him up, and forces him back until he hits the wall. Salvatore tries to push him off but Kai holds him in place with his forearm to the man’s throat, breathing heavily and glaring at him. “Go,” he says lowly, letting up a little, not wanting to actually suffocate the other man, but the moment he lessens the pressure he feels pain radiate near his ribs. The sucker punch leaves him winded but more upset than anything. “You fucking-“ he grabs Salvatore by his jacket again to throw him out of the apartment bodily but he gets punched once more, this time in his stomach and Kai reacts instinctively. He hears a lot when he pulls his arm back and lets go; Bonnie shouting, Blueberry barking, Salvatore grunting as his head snaps back and hits the wall, glass breaking, a voice in his head that shouts ‘stop’ and a louder one that says ‘keep going.’ It all blurs into one rush of chaotic sound. Salvatore looks furious holding his eye and Kai hits him again, in the jaw this time.

“Oh my God,” he hears Bonnie say faintly. Then he feels her small hands on his arm, tugging. “Kai please. Bubby, please. He’ll go, please. Oh my God.” She sounds shocked and Salvatore spits blood from an open lip and bloody gums onto her floor. “Damon just fucking go!” she screams, and she still sounds stunned, shocked that he’s still there. 

The pain seems to have sobered Salvatore up a little because she doesn’t swing back, but he stares Kai in the eyes as if contemplating what to do. Kai gets ready to hit him again, fist forming near his side, despite Bonnie’s hand on his arm, but the manjust looks between them, wipes at his mouth and looks down at the blood on his fist. He still looks out of it, liquor still heavy in his system no doubt, but whatever is going on in his head has him second guessing himself. 

“Fine,” he says finally and he smiles a bloody, macabre smile, chuckling to himself. “Fine.” He turns to leave, striding towards the door. He seems eerily calm as he throws over his shoulder almost carelessly, “good luck,” aimed at who, Kai doesn’t know. The second the door closes behind him Bonnie rushes to make sure it’s fully locked and she puts on her alarm. She seems shocked and Kai looks around feeling as if he’s coming out of a stupor too. His hand is throbbing, his chest actually still smarting from that punch. “What broke?” he asks and Bonnie looks at him as if to say ‘that’s what youre worried about??’

“Are you okay?” she asks.

“I’m fine,” he mutters and goes to sit on the couch. 

“Fuck,” she says under her breath. “You’re bleeding. Your hand.” He looks down to see his knuckles are scraped, probably against Salvatore’s teeth. She rushes off to the direction of the bathroom

Salvatore.

He just punched Damon Salvatore in the face. Twice. 

“Are you okay?” he calls to her, remembering how she’d stumbled behind him. 

“I’m fine,” she says from the guest bathroom. He hears water running and then her quiet footsteps hurrying towards him. She kneels next to him. “I don’t have anything for your hand. I have alcohol, but I don’t have any band aids. I don’t know why; I should, I thought I did-“

“It’s fine,” he says wincing as she pours the alcohol on his knuckles and gently dabs it with a clean white washcloth. He watches her as she cleans his scrapes. She seems shaken, her eyes staring at her hands as she works, but her gaze seems distant. She winces as she gets up and he asks again, tone sharp. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she says again, but he see her unknowingly twist in discomfort. 

“Come here.”

“It’s fine. I just bumped into the fridge. The handle got me in the back.” He turns her around and zips down her dress. There’s a bruise blooming on her lower back and his anger comes rushing back. “I’m sorry,” he says. 

“He pushed you.”

“I should have made sure you weren’t in the way.”

“It’s ok. I will live,” she insists. He brushes the spot softly and she winces. “It just needs ice. We both just need ice, and bandages, and I need to clean up this glass, and sleep and then-“ she stops suddenly, hiccuping a little cry. 

_Shit_. 

“It’s going to be fine,” she says and starts to walk away from him. He takes her arm, pulling her back towards him, and then her face is buried in his chest and she’s crying hard. He rubs her back, careful to avoid the tender spot and he kisses her head. 

“It is going to be fine,” he says, lying through his teeth. This was a mess. He should have just tossed the man out, not hit him in the face. “It’s going to be fine,” he says again. He just blew his career to hell. For a woman. He waits for the resentment to flow in him, anger at himself or her, he waits to feel like an idiot. Instead, he just feels tired and relieved that she’s in his arms. _Oh, Parker. You have it bad, bad. But you knew that already, didn’t you?_

“What broke?” he asks again against her hair. 

“The glass from the picture frame,” she says miserably. “It fell off of the wall.”

“Ok,” he says, his mind is both oddly calm and going a mile a minute. “Go get in the shower. I’ll sweep this up and come meet you in a little bit.”

“I can do it.”

“I know.” He just needs a second to think. One where she isn’t so close. “I got it. I’m coming.” He kisses her temple and pats her on the behind, urging her and she actually listens. 

He waits until she’s out the room to sit on the couch, resting his elbows on his knees and burying his head in his hands. He’s ruined. There’s no way that this is going to resolve itself. He’s blown it all to hell. 

_But it was worth it,_ his mind supplies. _You couldn’t help it. It just escalated, but it was worth it._ Kai sighs and gets up. He cleans up the glass, careful to get everything, wipes up the director’s bloody saliva and turns all the lights off. He’ll take care of the picture itself along with its frame tomorrow. When he gets to the bathroom, it’s full of steam and he can see Bonnie through the glass, head tossed back, water running over her face. He sighs quietly and gets undressed, slipping into the shower behind her. 

She immediately turns and puts her face into his chest again, arms clinging to him. 

“Don’t apologize,” he says before she can open her mouth. “This wasn’t your fault.”

“It was,” she sounds hollow. 

“It wasn’t. He just showed up. He wouldn’t go. Is he always like that?”

She’s quiet for a moment. “Sometimes.”

“Has he ever-“

“No. Not physically. Not really.” Kai’s stomach drops at the ‘not really.’ She continues. “But sometimes he doesn’t take no for an answer... or he throws stuff...” Kai feels his jaw clench. “Just sometimes... He thought I would give in... I usually do, but I couldn’t this time. I can’t anymore.” Her voice breaks. “I just can’t...” she starts crying again, quietly this time. 

Kai holds her silently but his mind is on overdrive. Is that why she always shrank a little bit while talking about Salvatore or avoid talking about him all together? Is this why she’d jumped like a startled kitten when he got up quickly during their last argument? Is that why she would insist he not do anything for her and why ‘I’m sorry,’ always slips out easily but getting an ‘I love you’ when she obviously felt it was like pulling teeth? Avoiding her house and staying with him most nights since Salvatore arrived in town. The man’s lovebombing, disguised as grand gestures...

_ He lies... I’m pretty sure he’s cheated on me...  _

_..maybe I just got so used to glossing things over... of being afraid... _

_And that was a goddamn mess! You don’t remember?_

Jesus Christ. 

“Bonnie,” he says quietly again. “Bonnie,” she doesn’t answer, just holds onto him underneath the hot water. “Has he ever put his hands on you.” She doesn’t answer. “Baby,” he tries to tilt her head up but she refuses, resolutely keeping her head down. “Bonnie...” He doesn’t know what to do. 

He feels her shrug minutely. “We were young. That’s not an excuse but we were. We were kids and all he did was grab my arm too tight a few times. Or hold me still, hold me down, but only when I wouldn't listen to reason.“

His stomach churns. 

“We were so young and had too much money. Too much freedom. Too much _everything_. It’s a blur. But he didn’t, he never-“ her breath becomes shakey. “We were twenty-two and everything was just... bad. It wasn’t on purpose. There was everything; alcohol, drugs, endless money. No one told him no... it wasn’t on purpose. I was a mess too. And I couldn’t be in that anymore, not while I was trying to build my business. Not while I wanted to be... alive.”

Kai listens but doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t know what to say. He had no idea the depth of their past and he hates how after all these years she’s still defending him. He holds her, tiny and delicate in his arms, feels how small she is and imagines Salvadick yanking her by the arm or holding her down. The man’s whole hand can probably wrap around most of her bicep and he easily weighs way more than her. Kai knows how easily Bonnie can bruise, but only because some mornings his fingerprints are inked dark on her hips and thighs. The innate need he feels to protect her wraps itself up in the need to find Salvatore and finish what he started. 

He kisses her head hard. “Let’s go to bed,” he says and she nods. He dries her skin when they get out, and she lets him, leaning on the counter heavily, resting on her palms, head still held down. She won’t meet his eyes, even in the mirror when he stands behind her and puts her hair in her bun and his heart aches. They brush their teeth and her red rimmed eyes stay downcast, brow furrowed in deep thought. When they slide into bed she doesn’t settle on his chest like she usually does. Is she pulling away or just trying to compose herself? He doesn’t know.

“You know that what he did was wrong, right?” he says quietly in the dark. “It doesn’t matter if it was years ago or yesterday. It wasn’t right.” 

“Yeah,” she says in a little voice. 

“And tonight, that wasn’t on you either.” She doesn’t answer and he knows what she’s thinking. “Bonnie, this was going to come out eventually.”

“But not like this. It didn’t have to be like this,” and her voice shakes. 

“I don’t care-“

“Well, you should,” she says. “You _should_. I should have left you alone that night, at the bar-“ He gathers her up in his arms and he feels hot, wet tears on his chest. “I shouldn’t have-“

“Sshh,” he tries to soothe her. He doesn’t want her to regret this. 

Her voice sounds torn up as she continues. “And its ruined. I- I’ve ruined your career. Your life-“

“No,” he says fiercely. “No, you haven’t. Don’t say that-“

“If I-“

“I love you,” he whispers almost angrily. “I fucking love you. I told you, we’re a team and I meant that. We’ll get through this.” He feels Bonnie’s tears still falling on his skin and he carefully takes her hair out of its tie. He massages the base of her skull and she relaxes minutely. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m not.” His heart feels like its pulling tight in his chest. “I’m not. Are you?” She shakes her head and cuddles closer. “Okay, so we’re going to be fine, ok?”

She nods but the remaining tension remains in her body, as if waiting for him to change his mind at any moment. 

_I’ll just have to show her_ , he thinks to himself. She’s used to words - she needs action. 

He’s not going anywhere. 


	9. The Tea is Hot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let’s see what everyone else is saying.
> 
> An interlude of sorts. 
> 
> Bonnie’s life is suddenly laid bare for everyone to see.

**Instagram** :

**_Pray Tell_** (Verified Account)

20.6k 800.8.K 1,567

PostsFollowers Following

**_ That Escalated Quickly_ **

12,438 likes

6,524 comments

**red_vixen893:** She’s crazy - who is saying no to Damon Salvatore?? (55m600 likes)

- **sourpattcch6** @ **red_vixen893** have you seen the other guy?! hes fine af. i’d say no to Salvatore for that. (53m 463 likes)

- **gTfofr34** @ **sourpattcch6** Or just keep both. She fumbled the bag (50m 700 likes)

- **sourpattcch6** @ **gTfofr34** she has her own bag - this woman is a whole casting director with her own agency (42m 1,308 likes)

* * *

** Reddit:  
** _r/isthisreallife_

_ u/redhotchilliandbeans _

**You Guys Remember Thomas from The Journals??** • _8hrs_

Ok, so I know I’m not the only one who was obsessed with Thomas from The Journals (and still am until this day.) Yeah, he came in and wrecked shit for everyone on the show and broke up your faves, but I loved him. 

How do you guys feel knowing he fucks up people in real life?? ( _Link to a blog article_ )

(15.7k upvotes)

* * *

**Instagram** :

**Who Said That?** (Verified Account) 

13.4k 467.1k807

PostsFollowers Following

** She Said F*ck These Flowers!  **

6,708 likes

_(First slide: A picture of Nora dressed in a short, tight, blue velvet dress seated across from Damon in a beautiful looking restaurant looking furious, obviously shouting. Second slide: Nora in the middle of the action of getting up from the table, clutching flowers. Damon’s hands are held out imploringly. Third slide: Said flowers being shoved hard in Damon’s face. Fourth slide: Nora storming away while Damon looks stunned._ )

Director Damon Salvatore and rumored girlfriend of eight months, model and socialite Nora Hildegard, got into it, honey. Allegedly and for entertainment purposes only (because lawsuits? Not today, no ma’m!), according to our sources the esteemed director and his baby beau had an argument over the fact that he doesn’t listen to a word she says! The aspiring actress, more than ten years Salvatore’s junior, was heard saying she was tired of talking to ‘a hollow shell of a disgrace of a man’ and that she didn’t ‘come second to anyone!’ Whew! And on Valentine’s Day too, chile. She wasn’t playin. But what happened afterwards is what has us all really clutching our pearls. Tell us why after already being humiliated in public ONCE on a national holiday he decided to go to his ex-girlfriend of over ten years, Bonnie Bennett’s, home. The home where she and her man were probably, well, you know... What? It was Valentine’s Night; don’t act innocent. Anyway, what they were up to when Salvatore showed up is pure speculation, but what isn’t is the fact that under no uncertain terms her man, actor Malachai ‘Kai’ Parker was not having it. Click the link in the bio to see how that ended for the director and to get pictures and details on the man who (allegedly) whooped his ass. We’re telling you now, it’s not pretty. Well, some of it isn’t. Malachai Parker on the other hand....

(25,465 comments)

(8 hours ago)

* * *

** Twitter **

** Hereit_is **

@ **Hereit_is1236**

_(Two very flattering photos of Damon and Kai, both in suits, are pictured side by side at different red carpet events.)_

God, I’ve seen what you’ve done for others ( _praying hands with a weeping emoji)_

8:56 AM 2/15/2021 

12.7k Retweets 389 Quote Retweet 20.4k Likes

** PixieDuhst**

@ **keepmymind**

( _A meme of a distruaght woman crying during what looks to be the great depression era._ )

when you wake up and ur still not Bonnie Bennett 

11:24 AM 2/15/2021 

9.1k Retweets 152 Quote Retweet 15.4k Likes

**Trending**

Ivy Park

DamonSalvatore

BonnieBennett

MalachaiParker

Valentine’s Day

TheJournals

NoraHildegard

* * *

** Youtube  **

** Valentine’s Night Scuffle: Director Damon Slavatore and Actor Malachai Parker Allegedly Come to Blows **

34.4k views 4 hours ago

**_ Entertainment Tonight  _ **

_ 3.93M subscribers _

_** Comments 908 ** _

**thadyyasdaddy** : I really would have gone for Damon. Look at those eyes. 9hrs ago

**uernme67** : shes strong. I cant resist those eyes. 9hrs ago

**listlesslistening27** : and thats why yall bitches get killed. man could be a whole psycho but his eYes ArE prTty. 7hrs ago

**thadyyasdaddy** : You are hating hard right now. Damon is cute. Hes not a psycho. 7hrs ago

**carbonxd** : He’s ok. But Malachai is cuter. 6hrs ago

**okgrl45** : Im calling this man Thomas. Who’s about to keep typing Malachai? Not me. 3hrs ago

* * *

**PerezHilton**

( _A blindingly pink webpage has multiple photos from varying angles of Damon looking quietly furious as he heads to a black car waiting, eye swollen and lip split and bleeding._ )

If you’re still feeling bad about spending your Valentine’s Night sharing popcorn with your cat, don’t. Damon Salvatore had it much worse. Click **here** to continue reading

* * *

** Buzzfeed **

_**Who is Malachai Parker? And Why is He Trending?** _

  
Unless you’ve been under a rock or sleeping off the Valentine’s Night ‘festivities’ you’ve probably already heard about Damon Salvatore, yes THAT Damon Salvatore, entering the Upper East Side building where **Bonnie Bennett** resides on the night of February 14th face fully in tact and exiting minutes later on February 15th with a black eye, busted lip, and a bad attitude. 

The rumored culprit is a one Malachai ‘Kai’ Parker. And allegedly it was all because Mr. Salvatore showed up to the couple’s home to proclaim his love for his ex of ten years. 

Allegedly, Parker wasn’t having any of that and a kerfuffle ensued. And the woman they were fighting over, the mysterious **Bonnie Bennett,** while steeped in the Hollywood scene, is ironically never seen.

So! Besides being territorial, what else do we know about Malachai Parker?

* * *

** Missed Calls **

_ Recent _

**Caroline** 9:06 am

**Caroline** 9:23 am

* * *

** Messages **

• _Caroline: are you ok?_ 9:26 am

_•Caroline: do you want me to kill him?_ 9 _:_ 26 _am_

_•Caroline: I’ll kill him... or have Stefan do it_ 9:28 am

* * *

** Instagram **

**chozenwon100** : That’s why you don’t give loyalty to these females (10hrs 400 likes)

- **petals.on.me** @ **chozenwon100** What?! He was with another woman a month ago on a beach lol (10hrs 867 likes)

- **gaysun22** @ **chozenwon100** this man goes through women like underwear. What loyalty did she owe him? Sis moved on and he got mad. big surprise. Im here for it (10 hrs 1,495 likes)

- **petals.on.me** @ **gaysun22** Right! (10hrs 98 likes)

- **chozenwon100** @ **gaysun22** She’s been his day one. No loyalty whatsoever (9hrs 206 likes)

- **petals.on.me** @ **chozenwon100** Exactly. Shes supposed have been his ‘day one’ but hes always with different women while she lives her life. She was doing her and found someone who doesn’t play about her and Damon got salty. Typical. (8hrs 1,547 likes)

* * *

**Missed Calls**

_ Recent _

**Joey** 9:46 am

**K-Ci and JoJo** 10:20 am

**MaiBear** (2) 10:31 am

**K-Ci and JoJo** 11:27 am

* * *

**Messages** :

• _K-Ci and JoJo: Kai call me back. Call any of us back_ 10:22 am

• _MaiBear: Kai-Bear. Call me._ 10:36 am

• _Joey: Yo, what’s up??_ 11:54 am

• _Luke: what the hell is going on_ 2:07 pm

• _LivODevil: Kai wtf?_ 3:14 pm

_•LivODevil: whats going on?_ 3:14 pm

_•LivODevil: are you okay??_ 3:16 pm

* * *

** Youtube **

** How Bonnie Bennett is Living Her Best Life  **

10.k views 6 hours ago

**_LemmyTea_ **

5.3k subscribers

**Comments** 414

**MotoTheEToThe** : I know a man got assaulted but can we talk about Bonnie Bennett and her clothes. I googled her and her outfits are on point. Check her Instagram. 2hrs ago 

**colormemagenta34** : Yes! Her coats are to die for. She can dress! 1hr ago

**kattytwes566** : I’m so glad people are finally seeing her. Ive been following her on IG for a while now for style inspiration. Icon. 1hr ago

* * *

**Missed Calls**

_Recent_

**Caroline** 2:36 pm

**Stefan** 3:08 pm

* * *

**Messages**

• _Stefan: I’m going to talk to him, but are you ok? Call me._ 3:14 pm

_•Stefan: I’m sorry_ 3:14 pm

* * *

**_Damon Salvatore Pictured Leaving the Upper East Side with a Black Eye on Valentine’s Night!_ **

* * *

  
**Missed Calls**

_Recent_

**Maria** 3:30pm

**Stefan** 3:46 pm

* * *

**Nora Hildegard? Who Is She Exactly and How She (Literally) Shook The Table**

* * *

**Instagram**

**tempesttemptation69** : So Thomas can really fight? Lol!? (4hrs 24,567 likes)

- **lolashrooms** @ **tempesttemptation69** we haven’t seen his face yet. Salvatore could have fucked him up too (4hrs 14,348 likes)

- **tempesttemptations69** @ **lolashrooms** have you seen how big Thomas is?? Stoppitttt. (4hrs23,945 likes)

- **itsame!mario** @ **tempesttemptation69** if you guys don’t stop calling this man Thomas lololol (3hrs 16,734 likes)

**iamthetruth0100:** Simps thrive even in Hollywood (2hrs 98 likes)

- **eatitup** @ **iamthetruth0100** What does that even mean? (2hrs 400 likes)

- **iamthetruth0100** @ **eatitup** Who here is literally fighting over pussy? Theres so much out there (2hrs 84 likes)

- **eatitup** @ **iamthetruth0100** Something tells me you get exactly zero percent of that pussy (2hrs 400 likes)

- **iamthetruth0100** @ **eatitup** Fuck outta here. I get my nut. But im not ruining my pockets for no female (2hrs 56 likes)

- **kelseeyyann** @ **eatitup** And he uses the word female (2hrs 396 likes)

- **eatitup** @ **kelseeyyann** Of course he would (2hrs 376 likes)

- **kelseeyyann** @ **iamthetruth0100** You are making no sense. Thats his GIRLFRIEND. Youd let a man come try to take your woman in the middle of the night?? (2hrs 600 likes)

- **iamthetruth0100** @ **kelseeyyann** He can have her. And he messed with his money. All that money he missed. That was going to be his boss (2hrs 37 likes)

- **eaitup** @ **iamthetruth0100** So youd let your BOSS take your girlfriend?? (2hrs 687 likes)

- **kelseeyyann** @ **iamthetruth0100** Lmao ur a simp for your fucking boss. He takes your freedom nd your respect already AND Youd let him take your woman. He’d probably STILL fire you. Lmaooo Oh man. Get help. Lmao (2hrs 500 likes)

- **eatitup** @ **kelseeyyann** Imagine telling on yourself like this! Lmao man has no resepct for himself. (2hrs 345 likes)

- **kelseeyyann** @ **eaitup** I know his bag and his bed are both empty (2hrs 421 likes)

- **eatitup** @ **kelseeyyann** lmaoo (2hrs 176 likes)

- **kelseeyyann @eatitup** he obviously isn’t hurting for the money. Everyone thinks money is the end all be all (2hrs 344 likes)

* * *

** Missed Calls: **

**Luke** 4:22 pm

**LivODevil** 4:56 pm

**MaiBear**. 5:27 pm

* * *

** Facebook **

**Christan** **K** : Everybody is saying this guy hit him, but where are the police charges? Just rumors again. 

**Yanik** **Yovik** : So what? He fell down the stairs? 

**Shayna Livinlyfe** : He went to that woman’s door screaming her name

**Christian** **K** : He was barely screaming, don’t be dramatic 

**Shayna** **Livinlyfe** : _He’s_ dramatic - he thought he was in a real movie running up on her like that and found out the hard way he wasnt. 

**Caddilac** **Shack** : LOLOLOLOLOLOL

**Yanik** **Yovik** : Facts! 

**Evil** **Abed** : Just say you’d let some man take your wife and go lmao

**Shayna Livinlyfe** : Lmao!!!

* * *

** Missed Calls: **

**Kwame** 5:46 pm

**Maria** 5:50 pm

* * *

** Messages  **

• _Maria: hey... I saw what’s going on. Do you want me to clear your schedule for the next couple of days?_ 5:53 pm

• _Kwame: i told you he was a dick. Everything is going to be fine. Are we still working with that asshole??_ 5:55pm

* * *

**Instagram**

  
**cascadeparade** : She was playin them both. Wooooowww (46m 256 likes)

**gspgangg** @ **cascadeparade** I thought I was the only one who saw that (32m 175 likes)

**cespedesj** @ **cascadeparade** How?? There’s pictures of her and Thomas before all of this. They allllll just got leaked. Somebody went CIA overnight on Twitter lol the username is slumdawg (31m 589 likes)

* * *

** Twitter **

** Slumdawg  **

@ _justatmenexttimebro_

(1/27) **Im sick of everyone always saying women are the issue or make it so we have to settle when we’re getting played**  


11:47 AM 2/15/2021 

606.4k Retweets 576 Quote Retweet 800.4k Likes

(2/27) **So because I have too much time on my hands Ive compiled (yea i know big words) a time line in pictures. Enjoy alll the REAL tea, children:**

11:49 AM 2/15/2021 

506k Retweets 456 Quote Retweet 481k Likes

(3/27) **Bonnie and Damon in 1995 as children**

12:02 PM 2/15/2021 

89k Retweets 87 Quote Retweet 78.4k Likes

(4/27) **Bonnie and Damon in 2007 as teens**

12:07 PM 2/15/2021 

88k Retweets 60 Quote Retweet 90k Likes

(5/27) **Bonnie and Damon in Amsterdam in 2012**

12:13 PM 2/15/2021 

107k Retweets 56 Quote Retweet 94k Likes

(6/27) **Bonnie and Damon in La in 2012**

12:18 PM 2/15/2021 

110k Retweets 107 Quote Retweet 96k Likes

(7/27) **Bonnie and Damon in LA in early 2013 (rumoured to have been broken up)**

12:23 PM 2/15/2021 

109k Retweets 68 Quote Retweet 67.8k Likes

(8/27) **Damon and Nora picture dated July of 2020** ( _via Nora’s IG_ )

12:31 PM 2/15/2021 

107.5k Retweets 87 Quote Retweet 66k Likes

(9/27) **Damon and Nora pictured September of 2020** ( _via Nora’s IG_ )

12:37 PM 2/15/2021 

110k Retweets 104 Quote Retweet 63k Likes

(10/27) **Damon and Nora pictured November of 2020** ( _via Nora’s IG_ )

12:42 PM 2/15/2021 

109.4k Retweets 106 Quote Retweet 61k Likes

(11/27) **Damon and Nora pictured in December of 2020** ( _via Nora’s IG_ )

12:53 PM 2/15/2021 

111.5k Retweets 126 Quote Retweet 71k Likes

(12/27) **Damon and Nora pictured in Aspen 2020** ( _via Nora’s IG_ )

12:59 PM 2/15/2021 

115k Retweets 154 Quote Retweet 83k Likes

(13/27) **Bonnie and Damon in Aspen in 2020 (news was already circulating about his new movie. And she is a casting director)**

01:05 PM 2/15/2021 

204k Retweets 375 Quote Retweet 267k Likes

(14/27) **Kai must have auditioned at some point because his name has been leaked as a potential in film**

01:12 PM 2/15/2021 

185k Retweets 504 Quote Retweet 186k Likes

(15/27) **Bonnie, Damon, Nora, and Damon’s brother, sister-in-law and niece having dinner so Nora was there!!**

01:17 PM 2/15/2021 

187k Retweets 403 Quote Retweet 189 Likes

(16/27) **Bonnie by herself in December 2020 telling reporters about movie after Aspen**

01:19 PM 2/15/2021 

213k Retweets 608 Quote Retweet 221k Likes

(17/27) **Same day Bonnie gets back from Aspen (December 27, 2020) an unclear photo of what looks to be Kai is entering her building**

01:25 PM 2/15/2021 

305k Retweets 378 Quote Retweet 317k Likes

(18/27) **Picture of Kai walking a dog day after Bonnie returns from Aspen (December 28, 2020)**

01:28 PM 2/15/2021 

307k Retweets 351 Quote Retweet 340k Likes

(19/27) **Picture of Bonnie walking same dog dated the same day (December 28, 2020) (obviously neither of them were bothered)**

01:31 PM 2/15/2021 

307k Retweets 254 Quote Retweet 350k Likes

(20/27) **A picture of Kai and two fans on New Years Eve at a bar (December 31, 2020)**

01:35 PM 2/15/2021 

267.9 Retweets 125 Quote Retweet 300k Likes

(21/27) **A blurry covert looking photo of Bonnie and Kai at same bar with same surroundings (December 31, 2020)**

01:41PM 2/15/2021 

469k Retweets 238 Quote Retweet 481k Likes

(22/27) **Bonnie and Damon pictured at lunch with computers still out in Feburary 10, 2021 at Panera (looks like work to me)**

01:45 PM 2/15/2021 

250k Retweets 312 Quote Retweet 270k Likes

(23/27) **Bonnie and Damon hug goodbye Feburary 10, 2021 (look at her arm! Sis was over it. Thats a church hug at best)**

01:52 PM 2/15/2021 

167k Retweets 400 Quote Retweet 169k Likes

(24/27) **Damon and Nora restaurant blow up Feburary 14th, 2021**

01:56 PM  2/15/2021 

306.3k Retweets 127 Quote Retweet 256.6k Likes

(25/27) **Damon going into Bonnie’s building same night. February 14, 2021**

2:00 PM 2/15/2021 

378.4k Retweets 265 Quote Retweet 380k Likes

(26/27) **Damon leaving less that an hour later same night February 15, 2021 with an effed up face**

02:06 PM 2/15/2021 

545.5k Retweets 707 Quote Retweet 640k Likes

(27/27) **In CONCLUSION, Looks to me they had their thing, they started working together and he caught feelings while she had a man. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk**

02:10 PM 2/15/2021 

243.5k Retweets 576 Quote Retweet 289k Likes

** Comments **

@ **imnotyourfriend223** @ **justatmenexttimebro** went in! Look at her time line

@ **wetwillaysaywhat** Tmz hire @ **justatmenexttimebro** already

@ **justatmenexttinebro** Yeah they haven’t been pictured together for like ten years

@ **Killianjustice** @ **justatmenexttimebro** all this shows is they were tangled up at the same time 

@ **justatmenexttimebro** @ **killianjustice** I doubt it. Who knows how long B and K were together, because D was with N all up until V Day. whenever B was with him N was there or it was obviously professional

@ **mondolondo** @ **justatmenexttimebro** Damn bitch, you really had time on your hands!! Lolol

@ **justatmenexttimebro** @ **mondolonfo** I did! Because people over here are always trying to say its the females fault, when dude has obviously been doing him. I have more pictures! Lol! I can show all the girls hes been with.

@ **teatime12** @ **justatmenexttimebro** I heard he was dating twins at one point

@ **justatmenexttimebro** @ **teatime12** You see! And you guys want to say she’s wrong. Have you seen her Ig. She just slays and lives her life.

@ **shiesty** @ **justatmenexttimebro** Can I inbox you?? I think my man is cheating!!

* * *

** Missed Calls: **

** LivODevil  ** 6:08 pm

 ** Joey  ** 6:35 pm

 ** MaiBear  ** 7:12 pm

 ** K-Ci and JoJo  ** 7:56 pm

* * *

** Instagram **

**rennyluv29:** She’s bad af though <3 Id risk it all

**oppositionreign** @ **rennyluv29** Right. Look at her skin! 

**sundae8765** @ **rennyluv29** She’s ridiculously pretty

**getin2it** @ **rennyluv29** Shes alright

**mzmamas** @ **rennyluv29** I’d kill for her body

**melaninmagik34** @ **mzmamas** Apparently Kai Parker would too lmao

**mzmamas** @ **melaninmagik34** Lololol! 

-

 **Cortezhernan** : He just ruined his career and for what? Some pussy

**celinafarr** @ **Cortezhernan** I bet youre single

**Cortezhernan** @ **celinafarr** If its going to mess with my money yeah

**celinafarr** @ **Cortezhernan** I love how you think these people are broke like you. He owns how many resturants or whatever in another state

**Livinlovely** @ **celinafarr** Theyre technically actually breweries. And he lives in BROOKLYN. His money is long

**Livinlovely** @ **Cortezhernan** You think she’s messing with someone whose money isnt on point? Lol

**Cortezhernan** @ **Livinlovely** All you hoes care about is money

**Livinlovely** @ **Cortezhernan** Okay brokey. Youre not even making sense. You worried about his pockets but mad that hers are fat too? 

**celinafarr** @ **Livinlovely** Right. Dudes like him always have so much to say about problems they’ll never have lmao

-

**prettybabi467** : This is so messy

**Lipsinlove28** @ **prettybabi467** Literally. 

-

**foolmethrice:** She needs her own clothing line or to model or something. Have you seen her instagram. She eats everytime. No crumbs

-

**earnrespect** : How are these two even connected?

**Peacebefound47** @ **earnrespect** Through her. She’s casting for Salvatore’s new movie and he was one of the people auditioning 

**earnrespect** @ **Peacebefound47** Damn. Well if he walked in my casting room I’d probably risk it all. 

**Peacebefound47** @ **earnrespect** I know I would. Have you seen his smile? Those dimples? Whew.

-

**CBDDaddy490** : So Thomas really out here taking other men’s women. Talk about life imitating art

**LiveLaughLie** @ **CBDDaddy490** Why is everyone calling him Thomas??

* * *

_Bonnie Bennett and Malachai Parker were spotted together walking their dog, further fueling rumors that she and Parker have allegedly been seeing each other..._  


**Comments** 404

**KamiKhamaeleon** : OOOOh they look good together 

**liketherentisdue** : They look so cute together!!

**eightyfouryears** : BDE fr. They out here and hes like yeah, I did it. He’s claiming her. 

**intheeverglades** : Thomas said ‘this is mine.’

**googlemeh1789** : LOL

**Stripclubsnddollabills** : his face is smoooooth. Lol we see who won CLEARLY 

* * *

**Instagram**

  
**nordicelephant** : This man is too fine. You all are about to have me watching the journals because now I’m curious af. 

**succulentgreen** @ **nordicelephant** Its soo good

**coffeeforyourhead** @ **nordicelephant** You can stream it on Netflix. 

-

**mindingmine27** : Her shoes tho. 

**thebaddestbae89** @ **moonchildbehold** Right I’m trying to find those for myself

-

**moonchildbehold** : She’s an idiot for doing that to Damon Salvatore. She’s going to regret it

**commininhot** @ **moonchildbehold** Doubt it. You didn’t see her anywhere before this but that man stays in the blogs. His movies are great but I’d say hes the problem

**NoraHildegard** @ **moonchildbehold** He is the problem <3 ( _hundreds of comments are under her comment, questions she doesn’t answer. Her page is public and she still has photos of her and Damon posted, both looking happy, and smiling, but the comments are turned off.)_

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**williameyelash23** : Rich ppl problems

**spooki345** @ **williameyelash23** Right.

**williameyelash23** @ **spooki345** I cant be that invested- you saw some girl put together a timeline. The hell. She don’t even work for a blog or magazine lmao

**spooki345** @ **williameyelash23** Couldnt be me lol

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**drfrenchlathe** : The amount of people saying she’s wrong is crazy. She obviously stays to herself and as soon as she gets a man here Slavatore comes

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**blazinup** : This movie better be fire

**justpushit** @ **blazinup** Its just promotion

**urgrownbruh** @ **blazinup** Lmao remind me never to hire you to promote anything for me. Getting his ass beat is promotion? You’d probably throw me into the ceiling fan to sell shoes. People say anything i swear.

* * *

_Bonnie to Maria: please clear my schedule for the next three days. I won’t be in._


End file.
